New Moon
by Jou-chan
Summary: Yaoi 1x2, 3x4, 5xM... Fate has brought each of them together from their different walks of life in order to rescue a kidnapped princess, but a mysterious power continues to intervene. Will their adventure be a success or is there more going on?
1. Twilight revised

New Moon 

**Chapter One: _Twilight (revised)_**

Twilight was setting on the royal city as Duo Maxwell made his way home. He looked travel weary and worn, but the familiar sounds and smells of the Aspah Market helped to re-energize his tired body and refresh his mind. The city looked as wonderful as ever, too. Made of stone and wood and colored glass, Aspah was a myriad of textures, of bright and dark, and in some ways reflected the wide variety of people that came to live in the city. It was home to the King of Traun, and to his many daughters and his only son, the wayward Crown Prince, and home to a variety of lords and ladies whose participation in the royal court sometimes better resembled the circus more than anything else, but it was still home. And considering that he'd just come through the Forbidden Forest to get back here, it was a home that he was exceedingly grateful for.

When he laid eyes on a small but tidy inn on the corner of the market, he breathed a deep sigh of relief. The Aspah Market Inn, sometimes known as the Corner Tavern to those who frequented it, was popular among the locals. The tavern, though not as big as some of the more expensive inns, was always crowded. Duo had been coming to the Corner for a few years, and had been living in the inn for at least two of those years. He had his own personal rooms, and there was always a seat available for him in the tavern. And the journey home to it was always a sweet one.

As he stood in the doorway to the Corner, pulling off his scarf, he remembered standing in a different inn on a different night not so long ago and suppressed the shudder that crept up his spine. That was not something he wanted to dwell on, not on his first night back.

He made his way to his table and passed a familiar redhead on the way there. Catherine set the drinks she was holding quickly onto the table in front of her and smiled brightly at him. "Duo! We've been wondering where you were."

Duo leaned in and kissed her cheek, grinning a little. He had no idea how the girl managed to stay so cheerful all the time, but her good humor was always welcome. "Did you miss me tons?" He asked, somewhat cheekily.

She squeezed his shoulder. "Of course. Would you like something to drink?"

"Absolutely."

Catherine finished passing out the drinks she'd momentarily abandoned and then gave him a wink before heading back for the bar. Duo scratched his head and gave a satisfied sigh, continuing to his seat.

It was his table, and had been for the longest time. He'd even written his name on it, but there was generally a sign there that read _Reserved_ and that was a much better aid at keeping people away than his terrible scribble was. As he sat, though, he ran his hand over the etch marks and chuckled. The fire nearby crackled warmly behind the iron grate and the usual banter and laughter of the place soothed him like nothing else. It really was good to be home.

"Duo. It's good to see you." Trowa set a mug in front of him and joined him at the table, the slightest of smiles curving the youth's otherwise expressionless mouth. "How was the job?"

"Easy," replied the assassin, and took a long drink from his ale. He set it down and exhaled slowly, and eyed the room around him as he scratched at his chest. "Uneventful on the whole."

Trowa arched an eyebrow. "Really?" His eyes were on Duo's neck and at once the travel wearied boy cursed himself silently. Taking a sip from his own mug, Trowa added quietly, "Your poker face is terrible."

Duo sighed and put his chin in his hand, gazing in amusement through half-lidded eyes at the entirely too perceptive man in front of him. "I don't know why you won't go into business with me. We'd make a killing."

Trowa smiled at the pun behind his mug. "I have a business. Besides, I was a mercenary long enough to know that it's not my thing."

They both had been mercenaries for about a year; it was how they met. They traveled around Traun, mostly along its borders, and were often hired by the King's Royal Army. Duo had joined up because he had nothing else to do. He was just an orphan, looking to make a living somehow. Trowa had signed up right after his parents had been murdered making their usual trek on the inter-kingdom trade route. They had owned and run the Aspah Market Inn, had built the business up together, and when they died it went to Trowa and his sister Catherine. Trowa spent a little under a year fighting, trying to work out the bitter rage and aggression, but eventually he handed in his sword and went back home. Fighting had never brought him satisfaction, unlike Duo, who'd always felt as though the world owed him something. They kept in touch, though, and when Duo opted to move from one kind of hired work to another, Trowa offered to give him a place to live. The assassin had always figured that it was a way for the other man to keep an eye on him, but he didn't mind. It was kind of nice to be looked in after from time to time.

As it was now, Trowa and his sister ran one of the most popular taverns in the city, and Duo had become one of the most sought after hit-men in all of Traun. Most people knew him as The Great Shinigami; Trowa, Catherine, and a few others knew him by his real name.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Trowa asked, referring to the marks on his neck.

Duo had hoped that the other boy wouldn't see them, but Trowa always had been too perceptive for his own good. "Not even remotely," he replied lightly, but his violet eyes betrayed his intensity.

Trowa shrugged, and took another swig. "I've got to get back to the bar, but let me know if you need anything." The tall youth stood and saluted him with two fingers before heading back to work.

The assassin watched him pensively before taking a long swig of ale. The liquid was warm and the burning sensation in his throat was a welcome feeling, one he always enjoyed. It was hard to say if he would ever broach this subject again with the other boy, especially considering it was the absolute last thing he wanted to talk about right now. He knew without a doubt, however, that Trowa would never mention it again. Duo was grateful for that. He was grateful in general to Trowa, and to Catherine, for holing him up and making him part of their little family. It meant a lot more than he could ever really say.

He sighed again and rubbed his forehead, as though trying to ward off all these mushy thoughts. It was obvious that his exhaustion was creeping back up with him. He should head upstairs and wash up before his mind turned to other, less heart-warming thoughts.

-- () --

The Crown Prince sighed as he leaned over the balustrade, gazing down at the still streets of Aspah below. The sun was dipping below the horizon but there was still some light left, enough for his eyes to follow the main road out as it followed the meandering Saiti River into the Forbidden Forest. That place loomed like a dark shadow over the earth, and he found that was continually drawn back to it, despite its foreboding reputation. He'd been thinking about it a lot lately, actually. He'd been thinking all sorts of crazy things though, and more than ever he found himself reverting back to his childhood dreams of setting out on some kind of daring adventure. More than ever he felt compelled to make those dreams a reality; he felt the forest calling him to explore its depths and conquer the unknown there.

But that was not to be. No, his life was more or less planned for him already. The Prince's generally serene expression turned sour and he closed his eyes, hiding their blue depths from the world around him. His father had announced a marriage proposal earlier that day. Nothing was set in stone yet but nevertheless it was clear that something would be done soon. The aristocracy had been clamoring for his attention for the last few years, knowing that this day would soon bloom on the horizon.

His own horizon seemed more like the one at present, with the light fading fast and darkness sweeping in. The Prince had seen the list of potentials and felt various degrees of nauseia over each and every one. But how could he tell his father that he didn't really seem to like _any _women, let alone any of those women?

He'd had opportunities, of course. He was the Crown Prince, after all. Women threw themselves at him from all levels of life, hoping for even the slightest bit of response, anything to help garner their reputations. More than a few times his conniving sisters had paid a household servant to accidentally flash a little skin at him or had given the aristocratic daughters information on his various scheduled games and events so that they might make a better impression on him. Everything about the court disgusted him, really, and he passed his hand through his hair as his lip curled in response.

"Quatre," he heard a warm voice behind him then, "I thought I might find you out here."

The blonde blinked his eyes open and glanced over his shoulder at his cousin. He hadn't heard her come out, but then again, the Peacecrafts had always been known for their graceful poise and their ability to disappear when necessary. He couldn't necessarily call Relena a quiet woman; she voiced her opinions on things often, and the court knew when she had something on her mind. She'd garnered a lot of respect for herself, though, especially since the disappearance of Miliardo. It was a hard blow to both of them, but many had thought that the youngest surviving Peacecraft would be forever changed for the worse. But she'd always been strong, and she had a gift. She could see things, sometimes, could predict the fallout of events. They always said that the old Peacecraft clan had different blood running through their veins. He'd always wondered if his mother had been the same, and why the strangeness hadn't manifested itself in him or any of his sisters.

"Good evening, Relena," he said politely and immediately received a frown for it.

"Oh, come on," she put her hands on her hips, "Don't pull that with me."

He sighed again, and glanced back out to the dark forest in the distance. "Sorry. It's become mechanical."

Relena stood next to him, spreading her hands on the balustrade as she gazed out. "I saw the list," she ventured after a few minutes, and gave him a sidelong look. "Clearly your father's advisors have no taste whatsoever."

Quatre favored her with a small smile. She was much kinder than anybody ever gave her credit for. "I suspect they're going senile."

"Probably," she agreed, a vague smile playing about her lips.

They stood in agreeable silence for a long moment, watching as the city's lights blinked on before them. The Forbidden Forest became more of a hazy backdrop as the sun disappeared entirely, but it was impossible to ignore the bulk of shadow completely. Hovering on the edge as it was, one could always sense it's looming presence.

"It's so dark," Relena murmured then, and Quatre realized they'd been looking at the same thing. Though he regarded it with fascination, she regarded it with more suspicion, an anxious speculation lined with fear. "Dark and... evil."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Evil?"

She twirled a strand of straw colored hair around her finger, a nervous habit. "I can't shake this horrible feeling lately, and it only gets worse whenever I look at the forest."

"I'm sure it's not all peaches and cream, but there are a lot of good things about it, you know," he reminded her placidly. "A lot of creatures that are beneficial to life and to our ecosystem thrive there, and most of our medicines and other herbs and spices are derived from the plant life that grows there and only there. Aspah wouldn't be half of what it is without it."

Relena smiled at him but he could tell she was not really placated. But what she ventured next made him look at her a little more closely. "What is so horrible here, Quatre, that makes that place so dear to you?"

It was easy to forget how keen an observer she was. He could only answer her with honesty; she would expect nothing less. "There, I would be in control. My decisions would affect my fate. Here, I don't even get to make the decisions. Everything that matters is already set in stone somewhere, planned by some old, fat men who got rich through manipulation and corruption and have no respect or value for life and for what it really means to have one all your own."

The silence that followed was a heavy one. Neither of them had quite expected the intensity that her question brought about but there was no denying that it had probably been festering under the surface for some time. He rubbed his forehead and bent forward over the balcony, and murmured a quiet, "Sorry."

Relena put her hand on his neck and leaned in, pressing her forehead against his temple. "Quatre, be careful. Your father is just trying to do what's best for everyone, for all of Traun, and it requires sacrifice on everyone's part. You're the Crown Prince. No one said it was going to be easy."

He pulled away, balling his fingers tightly. "I didn't ask to be a prince, or to inherit any of this royal misery. I don't accept that, Relena."

"Quatre," she began, but he shook his head and backed away, stalking towards the double doors that led inside. "Stop. I don't want to hear any more of your political revelations." With his back turned to her, he missed the collapse of her calm and the abundant sadness in her eyes as she watched him leave. He missed her jaded expression and her rigid stature; it was the look of someone who knew their end, of someone who was well acquainted with hopelessness.

-- () --

Duo soaked in his tub for a long time. It was glorious to be back here, back with warm, clean water, lots of soap and soothing salts, with his bed and his bookshelf and his collection of blades and other various possessions. It was his safety net, and it was a needed comfort for his weary mind and wary, travel-worn body. As he scrubbed at his toes, massaging the sole of his feet gently with a sponge, his mind began to feel heavy. The lack of sleep jumbled with the myriad of thoughts that his recent road trip brought on were jumbled together in a tangled mess and he didn't even dare to try and pick it all apart.

Later, though, when he tried to lie down and get some shut eye, he found his memories of that night waiting for him, as though they'd been lying in wait somewhere in the back of his mind, ready to pounce when the moment presented itself. He could still see his dark, smoky blue eyes watching him, waiting intently with an air of self-assurance that was both terrifying and irresistible.

Walking away, he'd thought the meeting was chance only, a random crossing of paths that allowed him an interesting, if not slightly harrowing experience. But now, sprawled out naked on his bed, too hot for covers, he couldn't shake the feeling that there wasn't anything about that night that had been coincidental at all. Not the inn, not even the girl. And certainly not him.

Before he even realized what he was doing, Duo rubbed the bite marks on his neck in discomfort though no real physical ailment prompted him. The bite was almost over and done with before he'd even realized what was going on, so drunk with lust as he'd been. And though the vampire had drunk, it had been slow and sensual and was clearly more about sex than hunger. Still, it freaked him out. But not as much as what else he'd uncovered.

Duo pushed himself out of bed, now too restless, despite the aching of his muscles. He moved to the mirror and pushed his long, tangled strands of hair aside to inspect the bite mark more clearly. He'd tried to avoid really looking at it before but ignoring it didn't make it disappear. The puncture wounds were small, and it was likely that most people probably wouldn't even notice them. Trowa had picked them up right away, but maybe he should have expected that. If Catherine had noticed them she hadn't said a word; in some ways, she was just as clever at concealment as her brother.

He grunted, annoyed that he couldn't sort himself out, and sighed. He wanted nothing more than to just fall into a deep, dreamless slumber but apparently luck was just not with him. No, something much darker had taken up residence.

-- () --

The day had finished up on a better note than Catherine had expected it to. They always made good money, thanks to steady business from the locals, but today was especially profitable for no real reason at all. But more importantly, Duo returned home. She wiped down the bar counter with a towel, pausing to scrub a little harder in a couple unruly spots before taking the rag to some nearby tables.

Most people were gone for the night. There were some stragglers, there always were, but most of them were regulars anyway and some were staying in the hotel. Either way, she was closing up soon and they'd have to find somewhere else to drink away their miseries. She wiped down the first table and grabbed a couple glasses before moving to the next, nodding at a local as he gathered his things.

"How's the Mrs.?" She asked cheerfully, if not a little tiredly.

He smiled and pushed his chair in. "Oh, good as ever, she is. Took the kids ta the coast, gonna head up and meet 'em tomorrah, prolly." He slurred his words a little but Catherine had been in this business too long not to know what was being said.

"Well you have a good night," she told him.

As he left, leaning a little suspiciously to the right as he walked, a younger man entered, stepping slightly to the side as he passed. He wore a nondescript brown cloak, incredibly well worn and not without a few stains and holes. She thought she glimpsed white somewhere under it but she quickly straightened from the table she was cleaning and offered a quick hello.

He glanced around casually, acknowledged her with a silent nod, and then moved somewhat stiffly towards the counter and took a seat at one of the stools there.

"I'll be with you in a second, sir," Catherine told him, finishing up the table she was at before moving back behind the counter. She dumped the glasses and the rag into the sink and wiped her hands on a towel before turning her full attention to him. "Unfortunately we're not serving any more drinks tonight but we do have some rooms available, if you like."

He looked as though he were about to fall asleep right there. "That's fine," he muttered, and fumbled in his cloak before producing a number of coins. Now that she was closer she couldn't help but notice how beat he really was. She was familiar enough with mercenaries and battle in general to know when a man was wounded, and the way this particular man carried his shoulder spoke of some kind of injury. "How much for a private bath?"

The general price was two hundred but she felt compelled to give him a discount. He just looked so haggard and in desperate need of rest. She remembered Duo and Trowa returning home just the same way a number of times in the past and it always sparked a very motherly instinct in her. "One hundred fifty," she told him.

One eyebrow lifted slightly. "That's not what the sign says." He put two hundred on the counter.

She smiled and took the money, glancing ruefully at the prices that sat on the counter behind her. "Would you like me to send anything else up? Maybe some dinner, an herbal remedy," she paused as she handed him the key, "Or perhaps some medicine?"

His mouth twitched but he remained somewhat stoic. "Soup?"

"Of course. Your room number is on the key. Have a good night, sir."

He continued to the stairs, his walk somewhat deliberate, as though each step was a carefully thought out maneuver. It could have been, for all she knew, considering how exhausted he looked. Trowa came down not a minute later and went to the door, locking it from the outside, and then announced the closing of the tavern for the night to the few who were still left. As they began to pick themselves up and move to the door, he came back behind the bar with Catherine with the last of the glasses.

"You know," she said, on a quieter note as she began to count the money for the day, "I think that foreign-looking guy may have been a ninja. I thought I saw a peek of white under that ratty old cloak."

Trowa glanced at her as he continued with the dishes. "Really."

"Very stiff, especially his right shoulder. Remember, Duo had an injury just like it, once."

The tall youth smiled privately at the memory, but eventually came back to the ninja comment. "He's pretty far away from home if he is," he remarked off-handedly, in his usual even manner.

"It's been such an interesting night," Catherine mused. "I wonder what it means."

"It means something?"

She smiled at her brother over her shoulder and put a hand on her hip. "Of course it does! You'll see."

-- () --

She could not remember how long she'd been riding. It seemed like days, though she knew it couldn't have been that long. She'd set out from the Inn sometime early in the morning, and though there wasn't ever much light at all in the forest, she figured it had to be late.

The Forbidden Forest. Sana hadn't expected it to be this terrifying. It was much darker than she'd thought it would be, and the trail looped and turned so many times that she'd lost count. There was no telling how many miles she was away from home, but the very thought of being away from home was something of a consolation. At least she had that. That, and the screaming muscles in her legs and back. She'd never been on a horse for so long, had never done anything like this before. She'd planned for days, regulated her meals and money carefully beforehand; she'd known that it was going to be far from easy. She just hadn't expected it to be this hard. Once she reached Traun, there was certainly no way she was going to turn around and go back.

Her horse jerked under her suddenly and hunched over, gripping the reins tightly. "Whoa, girl, slow down," she gasped, and tried to keep the mare from veering off the path. The speckled horse had something different in mind, however, and moved off of the small road and into the surrounding woods. Sana pulled on the reins to no avail. Something had scared the animal and she'd gone into flight mode. That did not bode well.

The branch came up fast, too fast for her to react. The next thing she knew she hit the ground with a painful thud. Her head reeled from the impact and little white spots swam in her vision as the already confusing forest began to spiral out of control before her eyes. She rolled on her side, coughing, and tried to push herself up but found that she lacked the basic coordination to even sit up. Her head was pounding but her heart was pounding harder. She'd made it so far; this couldn't be the end.

She became suddenly aware of something looming in front of her and her breathing picked up rapidly. Sana could hardly breathe, and each intake of breath stung in her chest. Something picked her up off the ground roughly and the movement took everything out of her. She went limp as blackness set in.

That something that held her pulled her close and propped her body against his. An arm around her waist kept her up as he began to brush her long, black strands off her neck. She was so warm, and her blood was still pumping wildly with fear through her veins. He could smell it and it made him delirious, giddy. Her exposed throat was white and seemed to glow in the surrounding black of the forest, inviting him to taste. His fangs cut through her flesh easily, effortlessly, and he began to drink.

He always started out very slow, as though he were tasting a good wine for the first time. It wasn't very often he had the chance to drink something so splendid as human blood and he was going to enjoy this, guilt free.

But something unexpected happened. He felt a burning in his mouth and down his throat and paused in his drinking. The sensation grew rapidly and he realized with a start that it was her blood. He pushed her away and spit the blood out of his mouth, wiping it off his lips as best he could. He continued to spit, trying to rid himself of all he could, until the pain subsided. As it was, he was no longer hungry.

She lay in a crumpled heap on the ground, her cloak and hair fanning about her as though she'd been set up that way. In that position he got a better look at her and the goods on her person; on the wealthier end, certainly, with those rich fabrics, finely tailored to her form. And then he stopped entirely and took a closer look at her, sucking in his breath.

It was her. The one from the tavern, the one the other man had spoken to with such affection. He stood there and stared at her, his dark eyes brooding, remembering. Minutes passed by without so much as a sound or movement, but finally he stepped towards her immobile form and crouched down next to her.

Unconscious as she was, she was still lovely. He remembered the peek of pale flesh and midnight hair from under her cloak, and the soft but unmistakable smell of femininity as she'd passed by him back in that inn, and the look _he'd_ given her as she'd gone up the stairs. There was definitely something to her. He felt his resolve slip away and something akin to intrigue took its place as he continued to study her.

She was still breathing, and upon closer inspection, the bite marks he'd left on her neck were harmless. She really wasn't even bleeding any more, which was interesting in itself. He began to pick through her clothes, feeling the expensive fabric, and the soft skin underneath. Definitely a wealthy brat. He exhaled, a little annoyed, and glanced around before picking her up. He couldn't just leave her here, especially since he scared the horse away. She'd be prime pickings for some other dark creature of the forest. Besides, there was still the curious effect of her blood, that terrible burning sensation.

He told himself that his reluctance to leave her alone had nothing to do with the assassin from the inn, that he wasn't getting soft because of what happened. It was just something for him to do, something to wile the time away before Keru returned with her catches. He wasn't entirely sure he believed himself.


	2. Insight into Traun.

  
  
New Moon.  
A GW AU Fan-fiction by Jou-chan  
  
  
Disclaimers: If only I did own Gundam Wing! *drools* Mmm... pilots...  
  
Some pre-story notes: Congratulations to the sixth reviewer, GodAlrighty! You rock!  
  
And now, some wise words from our lucky 'viewer:  
  
France is a nice country which inhabitants suck ass.  
Jou-chan is a brilliant author.  
Kony's a better author than I let on, in fact really genuine and funny.  
I've written some real c*** but 'New Game' still rocks.  
Gundam Wing is the best anime EVER.  
Gundam Wing fans are very cool (like me!)  
Wufei doesn't deserve some of the stuff people say.  
Duo is very cute.  
Trowa and Quatre are definitely gay.  
Heero is the perfect soldier, respect.  
  
And now, for your viewing pleasure, the next chapter of.... New Moon!!  
  
  
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Dawn had come and gone, but still the girl slept. Occasionally her eyes blinked open, and it looked as though she might finally wake up. But then her eyes would roll back into her head and she'd fall back into a slumber.  
  
Heero ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sighed. She really must have hit the ground hard. Too hard. This was getting annoying.  
  
A slight groan escaped her lips, and he glanced over at her, wondering what she could possibly be dreaming about. It must have been some kind of nightmare... she certainly did it often enough.  
  
He got up, stretching out his muscles, then wondered over to her horse.  
  
The beautifully colored animal took a few steps away, whinnying slightly.  
  
It took a minute, but Heero finally coaxed it into letting him approach it, with a little help from the spotted stallion.  
  
He unbuckled the saddle and slid it off, then threw a blanket over both horses and let them snooze. Then, taking the saddle to the stone table, he set it down and began searching through the bags, looking for anything that might give him clues to her personality.  
  
And maybe why he couldn't attack her.  
  
  
As she drifted in and out of consciousness, memories of the last few days filled her mind; memories that she definitely... no, desperately wanted to leave behind.  
  
  
"You what?!?"   
  
Sana jumped to her feet in obvious outrage, the fire burning in her eyes.  
  
Her mother smoothed out her skirt nervously, glancing from the dark haired youth to her own husband, who looked slightly surprised at his daughter's sudden out burst.  
  
"We accepted the marriage proposal from Sir Ewan." Her father repeated, eyeing his daughter carefully.  
  
Sana tried to control herself. She really did.   
  
"That... pompous... arrogant..."  
  
"Watch your tongue, Sana. Do not speak ill of any man in my presence, is that understood?" Her father had risen to his feet, his iron gaze cast upon his daughter.   
  
Sana bit her tongue, but the fury still shown in her eyes.  
  
"He has asked for permission to seek your hand. Ewan is a very honorable man and well-respected among the clan elders." He continued, his voice solid and unchanging.  
  
"Father." Sana spoke through clenched teeth, her fists balled tightly. "I urge you to reconsider. I admire nothing about him, and I want nothing to do with him."  
  
Silence.  
  
Sana's mother put a hand to her mouth, horrified that her daughter had uttered such disrespectful words. "Sana..."  
  
Her father exploded. "It's time you learned your place, Sana! You are a woman and you belong at home, not out running around! You will not ever raise your voice in the presence of a man, and you will marry Ewan! Is that understood?!"  
  
Sana's chest rose and fell quickly and she forced herself not to cry; not to crumble down. She would be strong, and she would make it through this, somehow. No matter the obstacles.  
  
"Yes, ...father..."  
  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  
  
  
Duo yawned loudly, ambling down the stairs.  
  
"Morning, sunshine! Sleep well?" Catherine smiled amicably at him, taking a basket of laundry down stairs to be washed.  
  
Duo grinned and gave her a quick hug. "Sure did. Thanks again, you guys are major life-savors."  
  
Catherine giggled. "You know you're always welcome with us, Duo." She replied, propping the basket against her hip.  
  
"Especially since you pay us 220 knuts every time you stay." Trowa murmured, fixing his shirt as he came down the stairs behind them.  
  
"Thanks, Trowa. That's really touching." Duo said, shaking his head.  
  
Catherine's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, wow, I just remembered something..."  
  
Duo raised an eyebrow. "And that would be..."  
  
"I should check with the young ninja who came in last night to see if he has anything in need of washing..." She murmured with a sigh.  
  
The two boys glanced at each other.   
  
"A ninja, huh?"  
  
  
  
Wufei sipped his tea leisurely, enjoying his quiet morning solitude.  
  
"Are you really a ninja?"  
  
Wufei blinked, and looked up at the presence in front of him. ".....yes.."  
  
Trowa sighed. "Very tactful, Duo, as always..."  
  
  
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It was midday, and the sun was shining brightly, giving those of Traun their last days of warmth as winter began to set in. The small village was always busy around noon; people running around, buying and trading and just living their lives.  
  
Very few noticed, in their hurry through their chores, that high above them, a slender, graceful creature circled around, inspecting them with crystal green eyes.  
  
  
  
Dorothy drew the bowstring back and let the arrow fly, please to see that it was very close indeed to hitting its target.  
  
She was definitely getting better.  
  
A shadow fell over her, then an increase of wind as her scaled friend landed smoothly by her side, snorting a friendly hello.  
  
Dorothy smiled, and a soft growl escaped her throat. ~Back already, my friend?~  
  
~Yes. The town is always busy this time of day. It's best to enter at night fall, when the villagers are afraid to go out.~  
  
Dorothy nodded. ~As I thought... but thank you, thank you very much for your help. What would I do without you?~  
  
The Dragon snorted, sounding almost amused. ~Dear child, would you really like me to answer that? Not many people can find a line of work with a talent such as yours.~  
  
Dorothy smirked. ~I will not dignify that with a comment.~  
  
  
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Duo meandered through the booths, smiling to him-self. Today was definitely a lucky day; he got the sleep he needed, he met an actual ninja (who was really funny to bug...er, talk to), and just now, he saw a dragon.  
  
"Hey Duo! Duo, over here!"  
  
He looked up to see a cute, short female with short, bluish hair, waving like mad for him to join her.  
  
"Hilde! Wow, it's great to see you!" He picked her up in a bone-crushing hug, grinning broadly.  
  
She laughed. "You too, Duo. It's been so long! You have a good trip?" She asked, smiling knowingly.  
  
Duo nodded, winking. "Sure did. You know me."  
  
"Do I..." She shook her head, leaning against a post. "You know, that's what worries me sometimes." She joked, good-naturedly.  
  
Duo mock glared at her. "Yeah, yeah." He dropped his voice, and glanced around. "Hey, speaking of that... I'm gonna need a new blade soon... got any?"  
  
She smiled. "You're lucky. I just got a new shipment of stuff in last night. If you drop by later I can show you some of it." She replied, just as quiet.  
  
Duo nodded. "Great. Thanks, babe." He kissed her on the cheek, and then began on his way again, scouring the vendors for anything useful.  
  
Hilde sighed, shaking her head. "Some things never change."  
  
  
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As the day wore on, clouds began to set in, promising a good shower by night fall.  
  
Quatre glanced out the window, sighing. It didn't matter.  
  
He went back to packing, quickly but efficiently fitting a number of items in his bag, knowing that when he left, he would definitely need them.   
  
He also made sure that he got a good, sturdy belt, something that would resist the wear and tear on the open road. He smiled slightly, knowing that weapons were also a must.  
  
Sitting back, finished, he tied the bag up and then hid it under his bed, carefully concealed beneath all the wool blankets, along with his sword, a dagger, and a thick cloak.   
  
He would need them all.  
  
  
  
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End Notes:  
Ahahaha! The second chapter is complete! Hope you guys enjoyed it... of course, there is always more to come, ne?  
  
And now, thanks to some of these wonderful people:   
  
Hex, I LOVE YOU!! Thanks for all the help!  
  
Shinimegami, you are wise and all-powerful. Thanks for talking with me about dragons and dead people... er... just dragons...  
  
Cye's Girl, for worshiping me like the goddess I am.  
  
And to all you people who reviewed! From the first to the last! To the middles, too! As I promised, you're all my best friends! Yay! So keep reviewing!  
  
Okay, now for the fun stuff:  
  
I wanna know who you guys like best so far... guys and girls, from what little you know. Also, I wanna know what you guys think is gonna happen! Don't be afraid to guess, I just like to hear what you think! So let me know!! PLEASSEEE!!!  
  
And if you're the 22 reviewer, you get the next dedication and a few words of wisdom.   
  
SO REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!! ..please..  
  
See you all on the other side!  
  
Jou-chan  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Acquaintances.

  
  
  
New Moon.  
A GW AU Fan-fiction by Jou-chan  
  
  
  
Disclaimers: Unfortunately I will never *actually* own Gundam Wing, but when I dream… ::evil smile:: …anything's possible… ::cue evil entry music::  
  
  
Pre-story notes: We have another winner, folks!! Everybody say hi to my dear, close friend, Shinimegami. And she's evil, insane, and she likes playing with sharp objects, so be careful what you do around her. ^-^;;  
  
Now here are her words of wisdom:  
  
Oh my gosh, this is such an honor… I don't even have a speech ready… Well, first, I'd like to thank all the little people out there who made this possible… wait a minute, what am I saying? There were no little people… IT WAS ALL ME BABY!!! Jou-chan rocks!! But seriously, words of wisdom from the Great Shinimegami… anime rocks!! Those of you who discriminate are twisted and wrong! Gundam is awesome! Hilde is evil and needs to be taken out by Heero if he ever gets the balls to take out Relena, who is also very annoying… But really, for some true words of wisdom: People are like stained glass windows… They sparkle and shine when the sun is up, but when darkness comes, their true beauty is revealed only if there comes a light from within. And finally, I, being Shinimegami, would like to warn all mortals… Life is short… Waste your time wisely…  
  
  
Yay! Encore! No, not really. On with the story!! ::cue more music, bring in the bass::  
  
  
  
  
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Duo whistled to himself as he left the small inn, accompanied by Trowa and the ever-reluctant ninja, Wufei.  
  
"So what do you boys say to a little gambling?" He asked, grinning at them.  
  
Wufei didn't look at him. "I don't gamble."  
  
Trowa shrugged. "Suit yourself."  
  
Duo sighed, slumping his shoulders forward… why were all his friends deadbeats?  
  
"Hey Duo, glad you could make it!" Hilde waved the chestnut-haired assassin over, glancing around slightly.  
  
Duo waved back, then turned to the 'deadbeats.' "Come on, guys… I think you'll find this well worth your time…"  
  
Wufei merely raised an eyebrow, and Trowa blinked.  
  
Hilde checked her watch as they passed her into the small alley room. "Hey, nice to see ya. We've got about a little under an hour, so let's just get down to business." She whispered, and then nodded them towards another back door, behind the tables.  
  
Duo nodded, smiling. "Thanks Hilde."  
  
"Yeah yeah… I'll meet you guys there in a second. Don't touch anything."  
  
"Hey, you know me…"  
  
"Which is why I'm afraid."   
  
Giving the short girl a look, Duo waved the others to follow him, and they proceeded to the back room of the back alley room.  
  
As he safely shut the door behind them, Trowa glanced at Duo. "So, gathering from the supplies here, she's the one you haggle with?"  
  
Duo nodded, hands on his hips. "Sure is… it's amazing the stuff that girl can get her hands on… sometimes you'd think she'd have to steal it herself…" He shook his head, chuckling to himself.  
  
Wufei glanced around. "What other stuff does she have?" He asked, settling his eyes on a small rack of swords against the wall.  
  
"Oh, mostly weapons. Sometimes disguise materials, special wear, things like that." Duo replied, checking out some blade handles.  
  
Trowa had wandered over in the corner, and was now plucking the string of a long bow, an admiring sort of look on his face. "This is good quality. Haven't seen a bow like this in awhile." He murmured appreciatively.  
  
Duo glanced up at him, grinning.  
  
The door opened and Hilde entered, smiling at the occupants. "Okay, what can I do for you boys?"  
  
  
  
  
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Sana rubbed her temples, sighing. Her head ached something terrible, but the room was beginning to slow down on its axis and she was pretty sure she could walk now. Which was definitely a step up.  
  
"You're awake."  
  
The gruff voice caught her attention and she glanced up. The man, who must have been around her own age, really, would be rather attractive if he wasn't a vampire. But the knowledge of that just chilled her to the bone.  
  
"….yeah…." She licked her lips, tasting dry blood. She must have cut her lip on that nasty little fall of hers.  
  
"Good. Why the hell would somebody like you be riding through the woods alone?" He asked, tossing her her pack.  
  
Sana was caught by surprise by his rather personal question. "W..what?"  
  
He looked annoyed. "You don't look stupid. And judging by the way you dress, and the crap you have with you, you must have gotten a proper education. So there's no real reason why."  
  
Sana gaped at him. "How dare you insinuate that I'm an idiot!"   
  
He raised an eyebrow, snorting slightly. "You said it." He muttered, then gave her a cup filled to the brim with water. "Drink it. You're dehydrated."  
  
She scowled slightly, though putting the cup to her lips. "How would you know…"   
  
He gave her a disdainful look before stalking across the cave.  
  
Sana sipped quietly, taking his silence as a chance to glance around. It was slightly chilly, but remarkably well lit. She could hear a soft roar a distance away, but whatever it was… she had no idea.   
  
The cave itself was well furnished, too. As if this vampire had money on him. Probably stolen from his victims… she thought, but for some strange reason, this didn't bother her as much as it should have. It was probably the fact that she hit her head.  
  
The vampire came back, setting a plate full of meat and vegetables in front of her. "After you eat, you can wash off, and then I'll take you to Traun." He muttered, then sat at the stone table and began writing.  
  
Sana looked at the red, juicy meat, and felt her mouth water. She didn't really care where he got it… it was food, and she was starved. Stuffing the pieces in her mouth, she glanced back the man, who was scribbling on a piece of parchment. Swallowing the bites, she licked her lips and murmured, "Um.. excuse me, sir?"  
  
He glanced up, a mixture of surprise and amusement on his face at the respectful title. "What?"  
  
"What's your name?" She asked, carefully shredding the meat into smaller bites.  
  
He watched her for a moment, musing about her habits. "Heero Yuy."  
  
She nodded, swallowing another piece.   
  
Heero paused again. "Sana.."  
  
She looked up in surprise. "How do you know my name?" She asked, suspiciously.  
  
"I looked through your bags," He replied, then continued, as if people did that everyday.   
  
"Why were you riding, alone, in the most dangerous woods on the island of Sanhyl? You weren't exactly prepared for that kind of venture."  
  
Sana averted her eyes else where, ashamed that she did so. And even more that she was actually going to tell him. "..I was running away."  
  
"Why?"  
  
She bit her lip, feeling her temper rise. "Because… my father is forcing me to behave like one of his horses by making me marry an ass."   
  
Heero smirked coldly. "Didn't want to be tied down yet? Decided that he had no right to choose your husband, that you wanted to make your own life?"  
  
She did look up this time. "Yes. Is that wrong, to want something which rightfully belongs to me?" She challenged.  
  
He stood up, bearing down on her. "Did it occur to you that maybe he did what he did out of love for you?" He asked harshly, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Sana couldn't help but try and get away from him as she scooted farther back on the bed. "If he truly care he would let me live the life I want."  
  
His eyes flashed. "Is that so?" He leaned forward, his eyes burning into hers. "Do you know that I felt exactly the same way?"  
  
Sana's breathing was quick; she was scared out of her mind. "W..what? You.."  
  
His eyes narrowed dangerously. "A year ago, I came riding through here myself. Unfortunately I was not as lucky as you were. A woman attacked me and nearly killed me. But vampires do have consciences, and so she transfused her blood with mine. And I lived, and she died. And I am cursed." His voice became softer, but every ounce of it carried unmasked threats. "Now tell me what could possibly be so terrible about your life."  
  
Sana swallowed her fears, forcing herself to look him in the eye. "I can't be.. who I really am…"  
  
He stared for a minute, unflinching, before suddenly moving away. Back to the table, where he sat back down and began writing once again. "If you want to wash, there's a basin down that tunnel. I can provide you fresh clothes." His voice was unchanging, unfeeling, totally void of any emotion.  
  
Sana winced slightly, then slowly crawled off the bed and made her way to the basin. It was filled to the brim with hot water, something Sana missed very much. With a glance towards the tunnel, she quickly shed her clothes and climbed in the steaming water.   
  
She washed and rinsed and relaxed; minutes passed, maybe even hours. The water was no longer hot, and Sana was no longer dirty. She sighed, leaning back.  
  
"How long do you plan on staying in there?"  
  
She jumped, immediately bringing her arms to her chest. "What the hell are you doing?!?!" She cried, embarrassed and angry. "Have you no respect for privacy?!?"  
  
Heero rolled his eyes, laying out fresh clothes on a small rock near by. "Don't worry, I've seen better. Hurry and get dressed." And with that, he left.  
  
Sana blinked, opening and shutting her mouth again before finally getting out and doing as he said. When she walked back out into the main part of the cave, she threw her shoe at his head. "Jerk."  
  
He glanced at her shoe, then at her. "Thanks."  
  
She crossed to her bags and began to pack things up when she felt something hit her butt. She turned quickly, shocked. "You.."  
  
Heero smirked. "There's your shoe. I wouldn't try that again." She looked as though she was about to say something, but he cut her off.   
  
"I'll take you back to Traun where you should find a woman by the name of Sally Po. She's a doctor, and she'll help you get settled in. I wrote a letter to her explaining a few things." He stated, and tossed her the rolled up parchment.  
  
Sana caught it, looking at it curiously, and then glanced back up. "Why didn't you attack me?" She asked, somewhat quietly.  
  
Heero paused, a bit taken back. "I don't know."  
  
  
  
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Duo grinned, giving Hilde a big hug. "Thanks, babe. This new blade ought to work just great."  
  
Hilde shook her head. "That's really disgusting, Duo." She muttered.  
  
Trowa smirked slightly. "And thank you for the bow. It's beautiful." He added.  
  
Hilda waved her hand. "It's really not a problem. I've had it for awhile and you're the first person who showed so much interest. Besides, any friend of Duo's is a friend of mine."  
  
"Dead or alive?" Wufei asked, quietly, but they all caught it.  
  
"Ha ha, that's real funny." Duo gave him a look, and brandished his scythe at him. "You better stay on my good side, ninja-boy, or else. You reap what you soe, my friend." He threatened playfully.  
  
Wufei raised an eyebrow. "Right."  
  
Trowa sighed to himself, shaking his head. "I suggest we get back soon or Cathy won't be very pleased." He reminded them.  
  
Duo nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again, Hilde." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, then started for the door.  
  
"Oh, Duo, by the way.." Hilde stopped him, smiling. "There's a cat burglar about, and some of the villagers are interested in catching him, any way they can."  
  
Duo smirked. "Gotcha."  
  
  
  
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It was dark, chilly, and the wind was sharp, and an overall feeling of badness surrounded the castle. Lightening filled the sky, and the thunder boomed loudly, threatening to spill rain any minute.   
  
Relena ran.  
  
She ran as hard as she could, but something kept chasing her. It was large, and it had wings, and piercing green eyes.  
  
She ran for what seemed like a lifetime before the sky suddenly lightened slightly, and the shadow stopped following her.   
  
In fact, it had taken a new shape all together. A more human shape.  
  
It stepped forward, and slowly lifted the hood that covered it.  
  
  
  
Relena woke with a start, her hands and feet warm and tingly, but the rest of her body very, very cold.   
  
That's what usually happened after she had a vision.  
  
She put her hands to her face, closing her eyes.   
  
"No… Quatre, please tell me you didn't…"  
  
She grabbed her robe and slipped it over her shoulders, running for her chamber door. Once in the hallway, she quickly made her way to Quatre's chambers, then entered quietly.  
  
"Quatre?"  
  
No response.  
  
Relena shook her head, covering her mouth. "No.. no, no!" She collapsed to her knees, hitting the ground with her fists.   
  
Quatre was gone.  
  
And soon, she would be, too.  
  
  
  
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The end of Chapter Three!   
  
That one was a little longer than the rest, but it's all good, right?  
  
Thanks:  
  
To SHINIMEGAMI, who was my 22nd reviewer and continuously supports all my random fanfic ideas. She's also a great writer, so look for some of her work soon..  
  
Cye's Girl, you're awesome. You guys should go read her story, Lady Ronins, and a story we co-wrote together, Dimensional Lockers. They're both Ronin Warriors, but they're good and we want reviews! CG: Thanks for all the weird talks and "ideas" that we'll probably never write cause they're just too damn scary. But it's fun to talk about! Go Yamurai Soroiden Troopers!! (haha, I hat yo.) (Inside joke.)  
  
To Hex, who continuously inspires me to do better. I love you, man!  
  
And to Lyn, if she ever reads this! Cause I love her work and she is so very talented and someday I'm gonna grow up to be just like her! And Madamhydra! …..  
  
To everybody who reviewed!! Especially to those who reviewed BOTH chapters!! You guys seriously rock!!  
  
And to all the little people I stepped on.. (Meg, you know the rest.. ^-^;;)  
  
  
Riiight. Okay, you guys know the drill… review review review or die. Summer school has started for me, so it's gonna take me longer to write in between the chapters.. but I'm still writing, so never fear!! Hahaha! …  
  
And this time, the 30th reviewer gets a little something special from me.. maybe a short Omake Theater! Who knows! Just read and review!  
  
Again, the same as always, please let me know what you think.. I NEED to know.. so send me comments, questions, ideas, but if you flame me, I'm gonna have to laugh at your sorry ass so be forewarned. ^-^;;  
  
Review! I love you guys!  
  
  
  



	4. Masked Identities.

  
  
New Moon.  
A AU Fanfic by Jou-chan.  
  
  
  
Disclaimers: Can you imagine all the money I'd make if I did own Gundam Wing? Can you imagine?!? @-@ And the obsession begins…  
  
  
  
Notes: As you may have noticed, I'm switching my layout around. The other one bugged me, so I just changed it. Also, since my computer is stupid and won't upload the stuff properly, I'm gonna be using a lot more spacing than usual. It may look longer, but it really isn't.. I try to keep my chapters constant.  
  
Other notes: More people get introduced and some people finally begin to meet. Hopefully in the next few chapters it'll all come together.  
  
More stinkin notes: A little prize for the 30th reviewer will be out shortly. I'm not saying nothing else, either. Ah, gotta love a good double negative.  
  
And as always guys, REVIEW!!! For the love of deathscythe, review!! Only 18 more reviews and I get 50! Help me get there!! The 50th reviewer is gonna get a big prize! So keep checkin back in for more chapters, too!  
  
  
  
  
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It was just before dawn, when the sky was still very dark, but the stars seemed to fade in anticipation of the sun's arrival, and just at the horizon, the lightest shade of a very dark purple began to spread. It would only be another hour or so before daylight bloomed.  
  
  
Another hour to finish and disappear.  
  
  
She grinned to herself, her sharp, feline teeth glinting in the quickly fading moonlight as she leapt from building to building, with all the natural grace of a cat.  
  
  
Her tail flicked back and forth curiously and her ears flattened out as she caught the scent of something in the air. Something approaching... quickly.  
  
  
She hid in the shadows of a roof, peering out beneath her as she waited for the man, or creature, to appear.   
  
  
Although she heard the hoof beats, and she could definitely smell the rider and another… she could not see them.  
  
  
Was that possible? Was the night just playing tricks on her, screwing with her senses?   
  
  
Keru shook her head, her soft brown hair swaying slightly. There had to be something else there that she hadn't taken into consideration. Perhaps there was some kind of working... a ward, or maybe some kind of charm.  
  
  
She waited a few more minutes before setting off again, the bag on her side securely fastened to her belt.  
  
  
Scrambling down the side of a building, she took a quick look around, sniffing the air, then quickly made around a corner and into a small building. Locking the door behind her, she laughed softly and patted the bag of stolen goods at her hip.  
  
  
Another night, another success.  
  
  
  
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Sana shivered beneath her hood and cape, looking around herself cautiously as she rode into town. It was early, pretty chilly, yet it was already so busy with people running about, trading this and that or buying various items. Or whatever they did.  
  
  
"Don't forget to give the note to Sally Po." Heero growled, pulling her steed to a stop next to his. A black cloak concealed him almost completely; while he wouldn't die from exposure to the sunlight, it would weaken him considerably, and he wasn't really up to that.  
  
  
Sana nodded, pulling her own cape tighter around herself as she took a deep breath. "Right… Sally Po…" She paused, and glanced over at him. "…Thank you, Heero. I owe you." She murmured quietly, then leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
  
  
He tensed slightly, and then relaxed, eyeing her. "What was that?"  
  
  
Sana raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "What? Why do men always have to read into things?" She shook her head, tsk-ing softly.  
  
  
Heero snorted. "Because women are emotionally shallow and indecisive." He retorted dryly, and began turning his mount around, back towards the forest.  
  
  
"You know, that's why you're never going to have any friends. Ever." Sana chided to his back.  
  
  
He only glanced back at her, an amused expression on his face, before he disappeared back into the shadows of the forest.  
  
  
Sana sighed, and dismounted her horse, holding the reins tightly in her hand. "Alright… I can do this… Sally Po…"  
  
  
And as she looked around, with the swarming people and the huge number of buildings and stands, she was beginning to feel considerably smaller.   
  
  
"Oh… damn."  
  
  
Somebody next to her laughed softly; a soft, deep laugh. "Crowded, isn't it?" He murmured, nodding towards the busy market.  
  
Sana nodded, managing a smile. "I've… never been here… do you know it well?"  
  
  
There was a slight pause, and a small sigh of submission. "Yes." He bowed slightly, and then looked at her. "Would you like me to help?"  
  
Sana met his eyes; they were a warm and pleasant blue, and she felt herself relax. "Yes. I would be very grateful. My name is Sana." She held out her hand.  
  
  
He held it up to his lips and kissed it gently, a very respectful gesture. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sana." He stopped for a moment, then added, "Please call me Quatre."  
  
  
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Wufei glanced around the small building, slightly surprised.   
  
  
It was a medical building, but it wasn't with the usual reek of patients and rotting flesh. Herbs lined the racks, and many different trunks were open, showing various tools to help mend bones or cover wounds. There was an obvious air of comfort here, and that was definitely a good thing.  
  
  
Duo grinned nostalgically, looking around with his hands on his hips. "Yup. This place brings back a lot of good memories. Right, Sally?" He looked at the doctor expectantly, his eyes twinkling.  
  
  
She raised her eyebrows, smiling. "Of course, Duo. I have always enjoy your company." She replied smoothly, a slight teasing note to her voice.  
  
  
Trowa rolled his eyes. "We're here for a reason, remember Duo? Cathy needed us to pick up more gauze and some herbs." He remarked, scratching his head absentmindedly as he skimmed down the list.  
  
  
Duo smacked his forehead. "Oh, right." He sighed good-naturedly. "I guess a trip down memory lane will just have to wait."  
  
  
Wufei cocked an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead, he turned to the doctor. "Excuse me, but what kind of medicines and salves do you have?"  
  
  
She gestured to a shelf against the far wall, near a doorway that lead to another room, probably her own. "Right on that wall is everything I've got. Help yourself while I tend to these two." She said, smiling reassuringly.  
  
  
Wufei nodded, and made his way to the wall, while Duo and Trowa watched in mild curiosity.  
  
  
"Now what was it you boys needed?" Sally asked, crossing her arms, and grinning slightly.  
  
  
Trowa got a list out of his pocket as Sally came over and showed her exactly what they needed while Duo examined several jars on a table with fascination.   
  
  
"Sally… tell me this isn't blood…"  
  
  
She and Trowa looked up from the list and over to where he stood. "I'm afraid so, Duo. You never know when you might need it." She replied, slightly amused.  
  
  
Duo paled slightly and gulped, setting the crimson jar down. "Alright."  
  
  
The door opened and two others entered, a girl and a boy.  
  
  
Sally looked up and smiled benignly. "Good morning, how can I help you two?" She asked.  
  
  
The boy hesitated before stepping forward. "Oh, I'm quite fine, thank you, but Miss Sana, I think, would like a word with you."  
  
  
Sana glanced at the other males in the room before making her way to the woman, showing her the note.  
  
  
Trowa glanced back at Duo, eyebrows raised.  
  
  
Duo shrugged, sharing the same look.  
  
  
Sally tensed ever so lightly, then carefully folded the letter and smiled at the girl. "I see. Come with me." She led her to the other room, past a curious Wufei.  
  
  
Duo grinned and approached the other boy. "Hey stranger, my name's Duo." He shook his hand and winked at him. "Helping out the ladies?"  
  
  
The other youth smiled under his hood. "Yes. My name… is Quatre. I'm pleased to meet you." He said politely.  
  
  
Wufei, who had been watching the two women, ventured back to the other males with a couple herbs in his hands.  
  
  
Duo, eyeing the certain plants, asked unceremoniously, "You hurt?"  
  
  
Wufei smirked. "Perhaps."  
  
  
Just then, the door burst opened again and a huge man with funny hair, accompanied by other men of smaller stature, entered the room.  
  
  
Sally came back in, the girl, Sana, trailing behind her. "Pardon me… what can I do for you gentlemen?"  
  
  
The big man bowed to her, and then turned to the hooded figure. "Master Quatre. Your father requests an audience."  
  
  
The boy winced as though he had been scolded and turned slightly. "How did you find me?" He asked, taking the hood off.  
  
  
Duo's eyes widened slightly. "You're *that* Quatre?" He questioned, shocked.  
  
  
Trowa just stared at the beautiful blond, his paper with Catherine's items on it floating to the floor.  
  
  
Quatre smiled nervously. "Um… yes."  
  
  
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Zechs greeted the dark haired woman with a nod of his head, as he and Treize discussed certain plans.  
  
  
"I have done as was asked." She murmured. "She is sleeping now, in your chambers."  
  
  
Zechs nodded, his eyes hinting at a smile. "Good work, Noin. I knew I could count on you."  
  
  
Treize smiled, though there was no feeling in it. "Excellent. It seems all is going according to plan, does it not?" He remarked, his speech elegant.  
  
  
Zechs nodded to the man, then looked back to the blue haired woman kneeling before him. "Noin, I trust you with the responsibility of looking over the Princess. Make sure she does not try anything, nor is harmed. Understood?"  
  
  
Noin smiled. "Of course."  
  
  
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Quatre couldn't believe his ears. "Kidnapped?!"  
  
  
The King nodded grimly, looking out the palace window. "Yes. Perhaps it would have turned out differently if you had been here to stop it from happening." He said, his voice cold and emotionless.  
  
  
Quatre fought to keep control of his own emotions. "Yes, father."  
  
  
The King turned and looked him square in the eye, a look of disappointment on his hard face. "I am deeply sorrowed to know that my own son would rather live the life of a vagabond than take responsibility for himself. Perhaps I put too much faith in you. You clearly cannot be expected to reach the goals that I had intended."  
  
  
His words cut right into the blond, and he forced himself not to wince. "Father, that's not true. I.."  
  
  
"You have disrespected your land, your people, and the family name by your reckless actions. And now Relena has been kidnapped." His voice was loud and clear, and echoed off the pearly walls. "Why should you be allowed any right to the throne?" He asked harshly.  
  
  
Quatre clenched his fists. "Father! I did what I did because it's true! I hate it here! I don't want to be a Prince, or serve the country! I just want to.."  
  
  
"Enough!!" The King bellowed, his cheeks going slightly red. "This is your destiny, Quatre! You are the Crown Prince of Traun, and you will endure it like I have endured it! You are not the first nor will you be the last one to the throne who has not wanted it! You will be King one day, and you will see for yourself just how easy it is!"  
  
  
Quatre lowered his head, when suddenly, an idea struck him. "Father… please… please allow me to rescue Princess Relena!"  
  
  
The King paused and looked at him. "Rescue? How would you plan on doing that?" He asked coldly, "When our scouts can find no trial?"  
  
  
Quatre's cheeks flushed with anger. "Just let me prove myself to you!"  
  
  
There was silence.   
  
  
Finally, the King spoke. "Very well. I grant you two days to prepare, five days of searching. Do not disappoint me." With a swish of silk, he turned and walked out of the throne room.  
  
  
Quatre breathed in a sigh, hanging his head. He didn't know how he'd do it, but he would. No matter what.  
  
  
  
  



	5. Waterfalls.

  
  
  
New Moon  
*Theee* Fanfic by Jou-chan  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimers: Blah blah blah… no, I don't own Gundam Wing, damn it… *sniff* Why do you have to keep reminding me of these things??! THE AGONY!!!!  
  
  
  
  
Notes: I know, I know, this was long over due, but I've been vacationing in Writers' Block Hell and they like to make you suffer there. Trust me, it isn't a pretty thing. But here it is, and I'm actually rather proud of this one. Watch it suck.  
  
You also might notice that I haven't gotten out the short story thingy I promised to my precious 30th reviewer. Yeah, I'm working on that. ^-^;;; Eh heh heh…  
  
But since it looks as though I've escaped from WBH, hopefully I'll be able to get more stuff up. We'll see, ne? So don't lose hope, my friends! Remember, 50th reviewer gets a super cool prize!   
  
And REVIEW!!!!! Please please please review, for the love of Gundams…   
  
  
  
  
  
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As she blinked her eyes open, everything appeared hazy and out of focus. She must have been drugged, because she felt as though her bones were gone, and every muscle in her body was limp and completely useless. She struggled to sit up, but found that her head was in agony and her limbs protested any kind of movement.   
  
  
"Miss Relena, I would advise you to stay still."  
  
  
Relena squinted, trying to make out the shapes in the room. But the harder she tried, the more they all swirled together; it was impossible, really. "Wh..where am I?" She asked hoarsely, closing her eyes again.  
  
  
"The only thing you need to know is that you are safe and completely healthy; the drugs will wear off after awhile."  
  
  
Relena snorted, and opened one eye, hoping she might get lucky this time and get a good view of who her captor was. Though it was still blurry, she thought she saw the outline of a feminine figure… in dark colors… "Who are you?"  
  
  
There was a slight pause before the voice answered again. "Please call me Noin, Miss Relena."  
  
  
  
  
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Quatre sighed, running a hand through his disheveled blond hair. "Rashid, you can't come. You know that as well as I do."  
  
  
The tall man with the silly hair bowed respectfully, but there was concern in his eyes. "I understand, Master Quatre. But you cannot go alone. It is just far too dangerous. I will not allow it." He replied.  
  
  
Abdul nodded, crossing his arms. "We at least have to make sure you've got the correct preparations." He agreed.  
  
  
Quatre nodded. It was true… with what he had so far, there was no way he'd make it through one night. What he really needed were experienced travelers, fighters… people who had done this before. But being cooped up in the palace all his life, he didn't know many people.  
  
  
But oddly enough, his thoughts traveled back to the people he had met earlier that morning, and suddenly he got an idea.  
  
  
"Rashid! I need to go back into town!"  
  
  
  
  
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Duo grinned slightly, as he sharpened his throwing knives, periodically glancing up at Trowa. "Hey lover boy, do me a favor and pass that cloth." He called out, with a sly little wink.  
  
  
Trowa glared at him, tossing the white towel at the braided assassin. "You assume too much, Duo." He muttered, and went back to polishing his bow.  
  
  
Wufei only smirked as he listened to them bicker, while going through his movements, his natural skill and grace showing at every flick of the wrists.  
  
  
"Am I assuming? Oh, silly me. I meant to be accusing."  
  
  
"Don't make me come over there."  
  
  
Catherine smiled, shaking her head. "Boys, behave." She set her tray on the table and began filling up cups for them. "Here, I brought you guys some refreshments." She said cheerfully.  
  
  
Duo grinned at her. "Thanks, Cathy, you're the greatest." He gave her a thumbs up as he snatched a desert cake off the tray and began to eat.  
  
  
Trowa laid his bow down carefully, and made his way to the table. Cathy was always doing thoughtful things like this. "Cathy, are you going to join us?" He asked, sitting down as he glanced at his sister.  
  
  
She smiled. "I think maybe I will." She pulled up a chair and helped herself to the pastries, nibbling here and there, and tasting the varieties. "Mmm… Delish."  
  
  
Duo grinned, nodding. "Hell yeah. Hey Wufei, you gonna get your ass over here or what?"  
  
  
The ninja cocked an eyebrow, pausing in his kata. "No."  
  
  
Duo groaned, smacking his forehead. "Oh, come on, man, give that a break for a minute and come spend some quality time with us, your friends." Emphasis on the word friends.  
  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes, but straightened his posture and walked over, propping his sword against the table. "One day, Maxwell. One day." He muttered.  
  
  
Duo grinned. "Bring it on, ninja-boy."  
  
  
Trowa rolled his eyes. "Oh please…"  
  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
  
The four heads turned to see the Crown Prince of Traun smiling at them, escorting the dark haired girl from earlier, backed by a couple palace guards.  
  
  
Duo's eyes widened slightly. "Um…."  
  
  
Trowa froze.  
  
  
Wufei raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that he needed to catch up with things.  
  
  
"Hello, there!" Catherine said cheerfully, smiling at the blond. "Would you like a pastry?"  
  
  
  
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"So you want us to join you, huh?"  
  
  
Quatre nodded, sighing. "Yes. I'm afraid I don't have much time to supply you, and I can't promise you your safety, but I can at least give you some kind of reward." He said, clasping his hands on the table.  
  
  
Duo nodded, and crossed his arms. "Hey, count me in. Don't worry about the pay or anything, your majesty, 'cause money doesn't really mean that much to me." He said, with a sly grin.  
  
  
Quatre smiled. "Please, call me Quatre. And I couldn't not give you anything. You'll be sure to receive some kind of repercussion. If you don't want money, perhaps you'd like land, or jewels, or maybe.."  
  
  
Duo chuckled, shaking his head. "No thanks, ma… er, Quatre. I've got everything I need right here."  
  
  
Quatre opened his mouth to protest, but Duo stuck his nose up. "I'm totally serious. Don't make me hurt you, Quatre." He teased.  
  
  
Quatre smiled. "Thank you, Duo."  
  
  
Trowa glanced at Catherine, before nodding. "I'll join you guys."  
  
  
"Alright, Trowa! We're gonna make it a party!" Duo clapped him on the back, grinning. "So all we need is Wufei here to join us…" He eyed the black haired youth slyly. "Come on, you're a big strong ninja, aren't you?"  
  
  
Wufei cocked an eyebrow. "You need to work on your persuasive tactics, Maxwell."  
  
  
Duo grinned. "So is that a yes?"  
  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes. "Sure, why not?" He took his sword and sheathed it, setting it on the table. "I've got nothing else better to do." He murmured.  
  
  
Duo pumped his fists. "Another one for the Great Shinigami! I am the master!!"  
  
  
Quatre smiled warmly, enjoying himself despite the fact that they were discussing what could be a very dangerous mission. "Thank you, all of you. I promise you'll be rewarded for this," And as he eyed Duo, "Whether you like it or not."  
  
  
Duo sighed, then pulled a chair up and sat in it, his arms resting on the back. "Alright, so we've got me, an assassin, a prince, a ninja, and a bowmen. I think it's safe to say that we've got a lot of fighters. But you think we'll be traveling through the forest, huh?" He paused, scratching his nose. "We need a guide."  
  
  
Trowa nodded. "Especially for the forest. It's dangerous there."  
  
  
Sana, who had remained quiet up until now, glanced up. "I think… I know somebody." She murmured.  
  
  
Quatre glanced at her. "A guide?" He asked, slightly hopeful.  
  
  
Wufei looked up from his sword, sizing her up, and Trowa put his chin in his hand, doing the same.  
  
  
Sana glanced down. "Well… sort of."  
  
  
  
  
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"I hope you know where you're going, pretty girl." Duo said, glancing around. He didn't like the forest. Not at all. Some things he could stand, but this… this was definitely pushing his nerves. He rubbed his neck absentmindedly.  
  
  
Sana brushed her hair out of her eyes, squinting her eyes to look ahead. "We're almost there." She hesitated, glancing at the others. "Um… it would help if you guys stayed here." She murmured nervously.  
  
  
Quatre frowned. "I can't let you ride off by yourself. One of us has to go with you." He insisted.  
  
  
Sana's horse turned around anxiously, and she sighed. Almost impatiently. "Alright, but hurry and choose."  
  
  
Duo glanced at the others. "Eh… how are we gonna do this?"  
  
  
Trowa shrugged, and Quatre glanced away, trying to look inconspicuous.  
  
  
Duo held his fist out. "Okay, rock paper scissors. Me and Trowa will go, then you and Wufei, and then the winners.."  
  
  
"Hold your breath, Maxwell, I'll go with her." Wufei muttered, nudging his stallion forward.  
  
  
Duo grinned, scratching his head. "Hey, that's cool!" He glanced at the others, muttering discreetly, "Glad it's not me…"  
  
  
Wufei glanced back, giving the braided one a look before catching up with the darker haired girl, Sana. She was glancing around, seemingly listening for something. "What.."  
  
  
She waved a hand at him to be quiet, something he found quite insulting, coming from a woman, and then muttered, "Water…"  
  
  
They rode farther into the forest, twisting off the path and into the actual brush. At first Wufei thought the girl was insane, but slowly, he began to pick up a trail; broken twigs and trampled leaves here and there. Whoever left it, though, was careful not to be found. Very soon, the sound of a waterfall met his ears, and the trees gradually dispersed some. Before he knew it, they met up with the stream, which widened into a rather large lake, with a beautiful waterfall towards the east side.  
  
  
She steered her horse towards one particular spot in the river and began to cross, slow and careful.  
  
  
He followed, glancing around at his surroundings. As a ninja, it was one of his first instincts to take everything in and analyze it, see how it all fit together. Any smart fighter did the same.  
  
  
They came to rocky terrain, but Sana kept going, guiding her horse along an invisible trail up the stone hill, coming ever closer to the cascading water. The closer they got, the wetter the ledge got; it was dangerous goings if you weren't careful. Hell, it was dangerous anyway.  
  
  
But just as it got incredibly narrow, the path began to widen again, and they went back around the fall into a type of cavern. Sana dismounted carefully, looking around as she did so. Something wasn't right.  
  
Wufei followed suit, rolling his shoulders. "Now what?"  
  
  
She looked at him, then around the cavern again, the waterfall roaring behind them, spraying them slightly. "Well…"  
  
  
And suddenly a figure jumped out at them, or rather, at Sana. Neither of them saw it coming, and by the time Wufei realized what was about to happen, it was too late. The figure, whom resembled a cat, slashed at Sana, pushing her straight over the edge. Wufei started towards her, but he heard a noise behind him and turned just in time to be tackled by another person. But as he fell back, he grabbed hold of the other's cloak and kicked upward, flipping him.  
  
  
Obviously, the other, a male, wasn't expecting this, and growled. He landed in a crouch, and looked ready to launch back at him, but suddenly stopped. His eyes were on Sana's horse. "Keru… did you…"  
  
  
The cat-woman purred. "She went over." Her tail flicked back and forth.  
  
  
Wufei took this chance. Jumping up, he ran for the edge and dived right over. As a Ninja of the Sixth Order of Draconia, it was his innate duty to help a comrade. He just hoped that the water was deep.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Sexism is a bad thing.

  
  
  
  
New Moon  
  
Fanfic by Jou-chan!!  
  
  
  
Disclaimers:: I used to own Gundam Wing, but then I woke up.  
  
  
  
Notes:: Well, let's see here… I actually remember "thanks" this time!! So thanks to Amanda/Shorty4919, JayB, and aem for reviewing the last chapter! Also, this is a unique little thanks to Enari Star, my very, very first reviewer. I just felt the need to praise you, so be happy! You go! And special thanks to my ever faithful reviewers Hex-chan, The Blue Seeress, Shinimegami (LoD), and Cye's Girl! I love you guys! Thanks for all those beautiful reviews!  
  
43 total reviews! Wow, only 7 more till 50!! And then that means I can post my little baby!! That *special* ficcie that I've been working on… just ask Cye's Girl… it's gonna be freakin awesome! So hurry and review, guys!  
  
For my 30th reviewer… eh… GOMEN!! Don't worry, it will come out, eventually. It's like Novocain… Just… give it time…. It always works. ^-^;;  
  
Anyways, please remember to review, you guys! And don't be afraid to e-mail me if you want… I love to hear from you guys!  
  
  
  
  
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The cold, crisp water was a rush; it washed over him so quickly and so intensely that he could feel it's effects in every fiber of his being. His muscles tensed automatically and he had to fight for control in order to save the girl.  
  
  
Even in the water, his ninja gi didn't hamper his movements. He swam swiftly through the icy water, craning his neck this way and that, trying to locate the girl. She hadn't fallen too far before him, so she had to be somewhere close by. Just as he surfaced, he saw a flash of cloth, a dark color, and he knew it was she. Treading the water, he brought his fingers to his lips and whistled; it was sharp and loud, and he knew it would get their attention. But not a second later he was back under the water, swimming hard towards where she was. A small part of the water around her was red; she had been hurt in the fall, somehow. That wasn't important right then. He quickly slipped his arm around her waist and began to kick up as hard as he could. Once he surfaced with her, he swam for the shore, making sure her head stayed above water.   
  
  
Out of the corner of his eye he could see the cat creature and the man making their way down the rock formation, with surprising ease and grace. The boy was holding something in his hands, but from where he was he couldn't tell exactly what it was. But he definitely didn't trust them.   
  
  
He cursed slightly at his luck, laying the girl down on the ground and felt her pulse. It was strong; definitely a good sign. But she wasn't breathing. Twitching slightly, he tilted her head back, holding her chin, and leaned in. A swift jab to his hip, just barely missing his sensitive spot, stopped him in his tracks.   
  
  
The girl coughed, and rolled to the side. "You… were not just going to kiss me…" She muttered, glaring at with one eye, pushing her sopping hair aside.  
  
  
Wufei just stared at her, aghast. "…W..what?? Excuse me?!" The nerve!! He just saved her life, and she had the gall… "I was going to resuscitate you, woman, not kiss you! Ungrateful little…"  
  
  
She coughed again, and it racked her whole body for a moment. "…Ow…"  
  
  
Wufei stopped himself, and forced a neutral expression onto his face. Right now wasn't the time to argue. He rolled her flat on her back, moving her hair away off her shoulders, and untied the cloak she was wearing. The tunic she wore was stained with blood at the top, and he untied just the upper part, though she did protest a little. It looked as though the cat had slashed her across the top of her chest, which would explain the blood in the water. With closer inspection, he was relieved to find that the scratch marks weren't deep at all. In fact, it looked as though the blood flow was beginning to stop. Yet another good sign.  
  
  
"Is she alright?"  
  
  
Wufei looked up at the sound of the voice. The man who had attacked him earlier kneeled next to Sana, setting down the object he had in his hands and opening it. It was a bag… full of… herbs?  
  
  
"I'm fine… I just fell of a cliff…" Sana muttered, and tried to sit up.  
  
  
The guy lightly put his hand against her wound, and she flinched. "Ow… Heero…"  
  
  
He gave her a looked and pushed her back down. "Be thankful I'm saving your ass again. Now hold still."  
  
  
As he began to apply some sort of lavender cream on her, Duo, Quatre, and Trowa suddenly burst from the forest wall and dismounted from their steeds, hurrying over.  
  
  
Quatre looked shocked. "Oh, Sana! I knew I shouldn't have let you go off… are you all right? What happened?" He asked quickly, his concern quite apparent.  
  
  
She scowled slightly. "That cat over there pushed me over." She muttered, glaring at the feline creature.  
  
  
Keru's tail flicked back and forth, and she glanced at Sana coolly. "Sorry."  
  
  
Sana's eyes narrowed, and it looked as though she was about to say something but Heero intervened. "Sana, just stop for one moment. You two can have your little chat later." He muttered.  
  
  
Duo gulped slightly, staying more towards the back. He knew him… of all times and places… why did it have to be him? His hand went to his neck automatically, rubbing it as if it had suddenly began to hurt or something. If the boy had recognized him, he showed no sign of it.  
  
  
Heero blinked, and just stopped. A small noise of surprise escaped his throat, and he quickly glanced up at the others, and then back down at Sana. "What the…"  
  
  
Curiosity got the better of him, and Duo stepped forward to see what happened, joining Quatre and Trowa.  
  
  
Wufei glanced over, and then raised an eyebrow. "Is she…?"  
  
  
Heero nodded slowly. "She's healing herself… I can't remember… the last time…" His voice trailed off and he took a towel, gently wiping the supposedly wounded area.   
  
  
Where there had once been three scratch marks, there was only one faint line, just below her collarbone.   
  
  
Quatre was amazed. "You're a Cillian… I don't believe it… I thought those were just legends…"   
  
  
Trowa just stared. He had never, ever, seen anything like it at all. It was positively fascinating. He couldn't help but poke the area, and received a dirty look from the ebony haired girl. "Well… sorry…" He said, shrugging lightly.  
  
  
She sighed loudly, closing her eyes. "If you're all *quite* done staring at my chest…"  
  
  
Quatre blushed and immediately looked away. "I'm sorry, Miss Sana."  
  
  
Duo grinned, scratching his head. "Gee, you're so cute, I just can't help myself." He joked.  
  
  
She sat up, and tied her tunic tightly, giving him a look. "Save it for another day." She muttered, and proceeded to shove her hair back again.  
  
  
Trowa, however, was now more focused on Heero and Keru, the two whom he did not know. "Sana… do you mind me asking who they are?"  
  
  
Sana glanced at him and bit her lip. "Eh… well… Heero was the guide I had in mind." She murmured, glancing at the dark haired boy briefly.  
  
  
Trowa could tell by the look on his face that this had not been previously discussed, which explained Sana's desire to greet him alone. "I think perhaps we should have a small meeting."  
  
  
  
  
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On the other side of the lake, safely tucked away in the shadows of the forest, a lone spy looked on, her eyes narrowed as she watched the scene unfold. Her icy blue eyes widened slightly, then narrowed again.  
  
  
"A Cillian, eh?" She hissed quietly, and then slowly smirked. "Such information is very useful to us. I thank you, Quatre Rebarba Winner."  
  
  
And then, with a swish of blonde hair, Dorothy turned and ran back into the forest, to deliver the news to her dear, dear cousin.  
  
  
Above her, a dragon flew, a look of amusement in it's crystal green eyes.  
  
  
  
  
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In a dark, cold room, a figure smiled as the shadows played across his handsome features, casting a slight glow around him. One look and you knew he was powerful. He was physically built, and yet, there was something about his demeanor that just demanded respect. Respect and a good amount of fear.   
  
  
He stood up in his chair and crossed to a window, pushing the long, regal curtain aside slightly as he stared out into the vast forest. Something in his eyes sparked, and the air around him seemed to shiver. "Seven days, Lady. We must be prepared."  
  
  
"Yes, sir." The woman bowed her head in acknowledgement, her glasses catching the light and reflecting it across the room. A soft, cruel smile shown on her lips.  
  
  
  
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Quatre was exasperated. "Sana! Please, you cannot come with…"  
  
  
She balled her fists angrily. "I'm coming whether you like it or not, Quatre! I'm not staying behind in that stupid little town and there's nothing you can do about it!" She snapped.  
  
  
Duo tried to help lighten the situation. "Come on, Sana, you know as well as we do how dangerous this is going to be, and we're just worried for you."  
  
  
She growled. "I can take care of myself."  
  
  
"Prove it."  
  
  
She glared at Wufei, who crossed his arms, the look on his face just daring her to try anything.   
  
  
"You're just going to hamper the mission. You've already managed to get yourself hurt once and we haven't even done anything yet." He said coldly.  
  
  
She took a step towards him, her eyes narrowed. "Face it, you need me. I'm a Cillian; I can heal myself, or anyone else. Even you, if I ever felt sorry enough."   
  
  
His eyes narrowed slightly in response, but otherwise remained motionless.  
  
  
She looked to Quatre, continuing. "What are you going to do when a battle occurs, and someone gets hurt? Just patch it up and hope for the best?"  
  
  
Quatre hesitated. "Yes, but…"  
  
  
"You need a woman with you. You should know that, Quatre. And cat-lady over there doesn't exactly qualify." She paused, before adding, with a slight edge, "Besides, I've already been through the forest once by myself. How do you think I got here?"  
  
  
Quatre sighed, bowing his head. "You're right, Sana, I apologize." He took her hand and smiled. "I would be delighted for you to join us, and I thank you for doing so. Just know that it is our duty to protect you, so please let us."  
  
  
She smiled. "Of course, your highness." She murmured, and gave a very proper and respectful curtsy, one only used by the upper crust.  
  
  
Trowa and Duo exchanged looks. It seemed there was much about this girl they didn't know.  
  
  
Quatre turned to Heero and Keru, and bowed. "And I am grateful for your services as well, Mr. Yuy, and Miss Keru. I will make sure you are both properly rewarded." He said warmly.  
  
  
"Just Keru, if you don't mind, majesty." She purred, her tail flipping back and forth lazily.  
  
  
Quatre gave a small nod. "And just Quatre is good for me too. Please." He said, smiling at both of them.  
  
  
Heero smirked slightly. "This should be very… interesting." He murmured, his gaze flickering towards the braided one for an instant.  
  
  
Duo paled slightly, and rubbed his palms against his pants nervously. He seriously, seriously doubted that.  
  



	7. Strange and Awkward Occurances

New Moon  
A GW AU Fanfic by Jou-chan  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own Gundam Wing. Please don't sue me; I'm just a kid, man! Trying to get my kicks the only way I know how! *sniff* I'm sorry!  
  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: It's slightly overdue, you could say. Most of you would say. Or have said, repeatedly. But finally, the long awaited chapter is out! And the sun did shown brightly, and the land did smile and the people did rejoice. See how it all comes together in the end? Big happy smiles!  
  
  
  
Now, onto a more pathetic note, I feel that I really don't owe anyone who didn't review an apology. Why? Because you didn't review; simple enough, right? Also, you guys might recall that 50th story prize that was to go out to the 50th reviewer. Well, it's still coming out, but not to the 50th reviewer. I'm dedicating it to the people who *did* review, instead of not reviewing, or waiting and being selfish so they could be the 50th. Don't like it, I'm sorry. But you're the one who didn't review.  
  
  
Now that I've probably pissed a good percentage of you off (hopefully not), onto the story! Enjoy, mon copains!  
  
  
  
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It's hard to understand how you feel  
When I can't understand myself  
It's hard to see the truth  
When I can't separate my dreams from reality  
I can't bring myself to admit  
All the things I've done wrong  
I don't want to admit  
All the things you've done right  
But the sky is getting dark  
And the air is turning cold  
And I have nowhere to go  
But here  
So just keep me warm  
And keep me safe from the night  
Somehow we'll find our way  
  
  
-- Jou-chan (me!)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
There was something unnerving about the palace, something conspicuously inconspicuous about it that made Quatre's skin crawl. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was there, he could feel it. And he trusted his instincts, more than anything or anyone else, because he knew they were always right.  
  
  
Slowly, cautiously, he walked the path that led him to the marble steps, glancing around the grounds as he took in his surroundings.   
  
  
The palace, a modest size, was very beautiful. But it was also very cold, seemingly withdrawn from even reality itself. Dark, bluish columns lined the steps, covered in ornate carvings of ancient drawings.  
  
  
The blond stopped to look at one, running his hand along its surface as he studied it closely. The carving was some sort of scene, like from a bible or from sort of historic event. It showed a girl, naked from the waist up, with her arms outstretched to the sky, as if chanting. A small crescent moon was above her.   
  
  
Quatre raised an eyebrow, moving from column to column. Each one had its own drawing, each one with the different stages of the moon on it. There was something there, something that he wasn't seeing, and he knew it. But he didn't know what it was.  
  
  
Feeling even more confused and anxious than before, he moved into the palace, immediately delighted with its design. The inside looked much bigger than it was, with large, crystal-like windows that allowed enormous amounts of light to flow in, casting shadows and giving the room a slightly celestial feel to it. Dark and lighter blues mixed together, the lightest colors painted like flames, reaching the ceiling, where a beautifully crafted mosaic was painted. It too, like the columns outside, depicted a night setting, with men and women dancing underneath a starry sky, the outline of a new moon above it all.  
  
  
But despite the grandiose of the palace, the blond still had a small, foreboding feeling at the back of his mind, and his stomach fluttered with anticipation.   
  
  
Softly, a wind began to blow, ruffling his hair lightly and circling up around him. He looked up and his bright blue eyes widened in surprise as a figure slowly took shape. The wind began taking colors, and seemed to weave together before a burst of brilliant light came and swallowed the entire room. When Quatre looked up again, a woman slowly floated down, her soft, blonde curls framing her serene face. He was immediately struck with a deep, comforting feeling that he knew her, that he always had.  
  
  
"Quatre, we've been waiting." Her voice was silky and smooth, but with a distant quality that made it seem all so surreal.  
  
  
Quatre found his voice, and stammered, "W..we? I..I don't understand.."   
  
  
She smiled. "You will, in time, dear Quatre. But there is something you must do before you continue."  
  
  
"Something I.. must do?" He repeated, hesitantly.  
  
  
Her voice was soft and reassuring, clearing any doubts from his mind that he might have had. "Yes, Quatre. There is much peril ahead for you, little one. You must rescue your land before it is too late. Before the night of the new moon arrives."  
  
  
"But," Quatre began, his stomach seeming to have jumped up to his throat as panic began to set in, "I don't understand.. what peril? What do you mean?"  
  
  
She smiled again, a sad smile. "That is for you to learn. I can only help you on your way." She held her hand out, and suddenly light began to gather, until it began to take shape. A small, crystal object formed, glinting playfully from its spot on her palm.   
  
  
"What's that?" He asked, taking a step forward to get a better look.  
  
  
"This," she said, her voice changing subtly, like water, "is the Lua Stone. You must retrieve this stone in order to save the ones you love."  
  
  
Quatre nodded, as the crystal stone slowly faded from view. "Where can I find it? And, how will I know what to do with it when I find it? What if," his eyes widened suddenly in slight panic, "what if I don't find it at all?!"  
  
  
Her laugh was like soft chimes, blowing in the wind. "Do not fear, little one. You shall find the stone for it will draw you to it. Trust in its power and you will know what to do."  
  
  
Quatre hesitated, nodding again apprehensively. "I.. I think I understand. But," he sounded unsure, as he fiddled with his fingers, "I don't.. what kind of peril? Does it have to do with Relena?" He asked, hopeful.  
  
  
She smiled sadly again, as the wind once again picked up. "I am sorry, little one, that I cannot help you further. Trust in yourself, and trust the ones you love. I'll be waiting, Quatre." Her voice grew soft, and a pair of shimmering white wings suddenly unfolded from her back. She flew up, fading out of view as quickly as she had come in.  
  
  
Quatre stared after her, stepping forward slightly as the wind once again blew through his hair. The colors once again began to drain, and the wind grew strong, until slowly, the room around him disappeared from view.  
  
  
Slowly, Quatre opened his eyes and looked around.  
  
  
It was dark, trees looming around them as the others slept on through the night. He looked to the fire and blinked to see a figure sitting, staring into the smoldering ashes.  
  
  
"..Trowa?"  
  
  
The boy glanced behind, startled. "You're awake?"  
  
  
Quatre sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I just woke up.. what are you doing up?" He asked, glancing around at the others.  
  
  
Trowa watched him, before looking back into the fire, poking it lightly. "I couldn't sleep." He murmured, his green eyes seemingly far off somewhere, rather than there in the campsite.  
  
  
"You should try. I'll.. we'll need your help in the morning.." Quatre said, covering up his error and silently thanking the gods that it was dark out so the other boy couldn't see his blush.  
  
  
Trowa smiled slightly, hiding it, then turned to look at the blond. "What are our plans?"   
  
  
Quatre paused, crawling forward. "..uh... well.. they're going to have to change."  
  
  
Trowa raised an eyebrow. "Change? Why, has something happened?" He asked, slightly confused.  
  
  
"I had a dream.. a vision. I guess it runs in the family. But there's something I need to get.. it's important.." Quatre was reminded of the soft, blonde girl and his face fell. "I just know it."  
  
  
Trowa looked concerned. "..are you alright?"  
  
  
"I..I think I remember her from somewhere.." The blonde's voice trailed off, and he shook his head. "I just.. I can't think.."  
  
  
Trowa looked down, his face reverting back to its normal, neutral expression. "I'm sure it'll come to you.." He paused, forcing it out. "..was she pretty?"  
  
  
Quatre stared at Trowa, blushing awkwardly. "Oh... I guess.." His voice trailed off quietly.  
  
  
The brown haired boy nodded, then turned and made his way to his sleeping bag. "Goodnight, Quatre."  
  
  
Quatre watched, and then looked down at his hands, smiling sadly. "..Goodnight."  
  
  
  
  
:::::::::*:::::::::*::::::::::*::::::*  
  
  
  
  
  
She loved the way that felt, having the wind in her hair as she rode freely along, feeling the pounding of the horse's hooves on the ground below her. She loved the freedom, the chance to escape the life that held her so far back. She loved that more than anything else.   
  
  
Her dark hair flew out behind her, whipping about wildly, long having fallen out of its confinement.   
  
  
That was the first day she rode away from her home, the day her grandfather died. The day her only true friend left her for good. That was the only day she ever cried.  
  
  
Sana opened her eyes, blinking the tears away as she glanced around. It was still dark out, but something about its hue told her dawn was not far off. The fire was just a pile of ash, only a few smoldering pieces of wood glowing lightly. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes as she yawned, and looked around.   
  
  
It seemed as though just about everyone else was still asleep. Except for one. Her eyes landed on one empty sleeping bag, already neatly rolled and ready for travel, despite the fact that the sun had not yet risen.   
  
  
Getting up and stretching out her arms, Sana glanced around before deciding that she was going to find out where the sexist pig had gone off to, so early in the morning. Carefully stepping over and around any obstacles, she made it unscathed to the edge of the campsite when her ears detected a soft, crunching sound. Movement. Tugging on her braid anxiously, she stepped forward, glancing around, before spying him through the trees.  
  
  
He was doing some kind of movement, his dark eyes closed as he swiftly made his way through the rhythms.   
  
  
She watched for a moment, leaning against a tree, before speaking up. "What are you doing?"  
  
  
He opened his eyes, glancing at her before straightening up. "Training," he said briskly, obviously a little annoyed. "What are you doing up so early?"  
  
  
She glanced away, crossing her arms. "Nothing.. I just had.. nothing."  
  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes slightly, wiping his forehead before going back to his movements, though only to be interrupted again.  
  
  
"I... thank you," Sana murmured, managing to swallow her pride for a moment. "For yesterday."  
  
  
He raised his eyebrows, putting his hands on his hips. "..Is there something you want?" He asked, suspicious.  
  
  
Sana just stared at him before abruptly turning and walking back to the camp, a little hurt but even more angry.   
  
  
Wufei paused, staring at her back as she left, before beginning his katas once again.   
  
  
  
  
:::::*::::::* 


	8. The Lua Stone

Disclaimers:  Anything slightly related to Gundam Wing is more than likely sole property to those incredibly talented people who thought up the whole Gundam Wing idea. Though despite my admiration for these awesome creators, I, like many others, am prompted to ask, "What the hell were you on when you thought up Heero Yuy?!"

Author's Notes:  

          +Booya! Look at that, another chapter out! Go me! Okay okay, so maybe I'm not exactly consistent in this whole "chapter updating" thing. I'm still working on that. *sweatdrop* But you'll be happy to know that I've been doing some major plot planning! I've actually planned some of the next few chapters out, so it really shouldn't take so long to write these chapters as it normally does! ^^ The hardest thing would be to find the time to do it in… *cough* So um, yeah. That's what I've been doing, in case any of you wondered. 

            +As for the whole website thing, well, I'm still working on that, too. Heh. Still learning how to do it all… and let me say that I don't like html stuff. Gonna have to get smart people to show me how to do it all. Eheh. Though that does bring me to another point… 

            +**ATTENTION, READERS!!** If any of you are interested in manga-drawing but need a little help with the plot, and/or making websites, and you wouldn't mind helping me out a bit, please _e-mail _me. If you know of anybody who might be interested, please let me know! I have some cool ideas but because I suck at drawing and computers are evil, I am in great need of help.

+By the way, guys, if you like what I write, please take a look at my other stories! I'd really appreciate it if you guys could check them out and review!! 

New Moon 

A GW AU (if that can be correctly applied here) fanfiction

By Jou-chan

            For a small town in the middle of nowhere, it was a rather busy place, Relena thought as she quickly walked with Noin to an unknown destination. There was always some kind of vendor on every street you went down, always people stopping to talk and catch up with the latest news and gossip. The sandy haired girl took it all in, her curious eyes glancing this way and that as Noin led her through the little town.

            "Don't lag behind, Miss Relena. We have a lot to do before it's time to leave." Noin admonished, a firm grip on her arm.

            Slightly indignant, Relena just raised an eyebrow. "Well pardon me, but what is it exactly that we're doing, since I am now a part of this?" She asked, letting Noin know by the tone of her voice and the look on her face that she clearly did not trust her.

            The dark haired woman just smiled slightly, unperturbed. "We have things to collect, and people to meet, and we must get it done in time for the rendezvous. Oh, excuse me," She added, nodding to a younger man in an apron, sweeping out the doorway of an inn. He gave her a big smile, winking at the Princess as the two women passed by.

            "Then, who are we meeting?" Relena inquired, her curiosity once again taking over as glanced from the boy back to Noin, trying to keep up with Noin's quicker pace.

            Noin paused, carefully choosing her words. "A very honorable man, Miss Relena. Very honorable, indeed."

            Quatre sat still and brooding, his knees drawn up to his chest as the others sat around the campfire, finishing off their breakfast and discussing their course for the day. The dream he'd had about that girl and her Lua stone was still fresh in his mind, waiting patiently for his quick, analytical brain to come up with some sort of scheme to find it. In fact, the blonde couldn't focus on anything else. Since he'd woken up from that dream, the only thing in his thoughts was the Lua stone. He was wondering slightly if that was what the woman had meant when she had told him that the stone would draw him to it when something Duo said brought him out of his reveries. Smiling a bit sheepishly, he blinked at the braided assassin. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

            Duo grinned, his hands planted on his hips. "I was just wondering if you were still alive in there. Something caught your attention or what?"

            Quatre blushed slightly. "Oh. Well, yes actually."

            Trowa gave the blonde a side-glance, his face utterly stoic as he continued to quietly eat his meal.

            "So what is it?" Duo asked, plopping down on the ground next to the prince. "Care to tell us?"

            Quatre twiddled his thumbs nervously, before sighing and looking back up at everyone. "I.. I had a dream last night, about this girl-"

            "So you dream about girls, too?" Duo joked, grinning like an idiot.

            Sana raised an eyebrow, giving the chestnut haired boy a look before returning her gaze to Quatre. "A girl?"

            He hesitated. "…Yes. She… she had wings, and she told me that I needed to find this stone, called the Lua stone, in order to save Relena."

            "The Lua stone?" Duo repeated, a very thoughtful expression to his face. "So where can find this stone, Q?"

            "Well," Quatre murmured uneasily, "I don't really know."

            Heero cocked an eyebrow, his arms crossed across his chest as he leaned against a nearby tree. "That makes finding it a little difficult." He pointed out.

            "Yes, I realize that." Quatre replied, licking his lips, "But I have this feeling… I mean, I think we can find it. She said that I would know."

            "So we're going to search for a stone that we don't really know exists because a woman in your dream said to?" Trowa suddenly asked, resting his chin in his hand as he gave Quatre a very cool look.

            There was a moment of silence before Sana finally spoke up. "It's not like we have any other leads. We don't even know where Relena is." She pointed out testily, her slight anger apparent as she glanced at Trowa. "Besides, the Princess is supposedly gifted with sight, is she not? Perhaps the gift runs in the family."

            Quatre smiled softly at Sana, before looking back down to his hands and making up his mind. "I'm going to find the stone," He said, a spark of determination in his blue-green eyes, "Whether any of you decide to help me or not. I will not go back home until I have Relena with me."

            Keru flicked her tail back and forth, watching Trowa speculatively before she stretched out her arms. "Sounds good to me." She purred, distinct amusement in her voice.

            A slight look of annoyance passed over Sana's face at those words, but she smiled nonetheless. "You won't have to worry about going it alone, Quatre. It's the least I can do to repay for all of your kindness."

            Quatre smiled at her and Keru. "Thank you both very much."

            Duo cracked his knuckles, grinning. It was the sort of dangerous grin that told you he was looking forward to something; it didn't matter what that something was. "Count me in. Sounds like this is turning out to be quite the adventure."

            Smirking slightly, Heero pushed himself off the tree and took a few steps towards the fire, causing the forest shadows to dance across his face. "And me as well. Wouldn't miss it for the world." He murmured, his eyes flickering to a pair of slightly nervous violet ones for a moment.

            "There's no point in turning back now." Wufei muttered, as calm and watchful as ever as he picked up his sheath and sword and swung them over his back.

            Trowa nodded, moving to put out the fire. "Then it's decided."

            Hours later, Duo scratched his head and sighed, wondering if Quatre really knew where he was going. He liked the prince a lot, but he was beginning to have doubts about the whole idea. And besides that, he wasn't used to horses and the damn things made his butt sore. Shifting uncomfortably in his saddle, he called out to the front, "Think we're almost there?"

            Quatre glanced back, smiling slightly. "Don't worry, Duo. We'll find it."

            Sana just smiled wryly, glancing from the blonde to Duo in an amused fashion.

            Duo gave a smile and a thumbs up, but his nerves were starting to wear down. The more he thought about it, the more his ass hurt. He finally just couldn't take any more and stopped his horse, swinging down from the saddle. "Damn it, I'm walking the rest of the way. I don't know how you people can just ride on and on like that."

            Wufei smirked, passing by Duo and his horse. "Don't worry, Maxwell, the horse probably feels a lot worse than your ass does." 

            Duo glared, giving the ninja a look. "That's funny. No, really." He said to Wufei's back as the black-haired boy rode on.

            "You won't have to walk alone. I'll keep you company."

            Duo jumped in slight surprise, giving Heero a look. "Don't creep me out like that. A little warning would be nice, Yuy."

            A subtle smirk just settled on Heero's face as he kept walking, his dark blue eyes staring ahead. "Where's the fun in that?" He murmured loosely.

            Duo blinked, not quite sure if he liked the sound of that. Wary of the other man, Duo said in undertones, "Just don't do anything stupid, vampire-boy, and we'll be fine."

            Heero raised his eyebrows, obviously amused. "What would you have in mind?"

            The answer to that question was left unsaid, however, as Quatre called them forward. "I think we've got something, guys!"

            Duo just gave Heero a very cool look before leading his horse forward towards the others. "What's up, Q-man?" He asked, coming to a stop next to the prince. Though as he looked forward, an answer wasn't really needed. In front of them was what looked to be some kind of ancient, circular palace, with vines and other kinds of plants growing rampantly around it. A sweet smelling rosebush caught Duo's attention and he picked two stems from it in a flourish of movement, turning to Sana. "M'lady." He said, giving her a charming smile as he handed her one of the flowers.

            Sana just smiled, giving him a complete curtsy as she took the rose. "How kind of you, good sir."

            Grinning, Duo moved on to Keru, giving her the same flashy smile and gentlemen attitude. 

            Keru raised an eyebrow, taking the rose. "I think, however," She said, her eyes glinting slightly, "That it would look better on you."

            Quatre just grinned, shaking his head, before walking forward some. "This is it.. I can feel it." He whispered, letting the reins of his horse go and taking a quick look around before stepping forward again and reaching out to move some vines.

            Wufei glanced around the area, his dark eyes skimming the trees. His sensitivity had heightened as soon as they had found the old palace, although he felt nothing negative about it. He kept his hand on the hilt of his sword, though, just in case.

            The group of travelers followed Quatre in, past large statues and ornate carvings into an open room. Something about all of it seemed familiar to Quatre. The design of the rooms, the style of art, all of it reminded him of something, as though it were a memory from a dream. They all searched around, mostly silent as they took in the beauty of the place. The silence was broken, however, as Duo spoke up.

            "Hey guys, check this out." He said, peeking through a partially opened door before pushing it open entirely. "I think there's some kind of tablet in here…"

             The others entered soon after him, glancing around before setting eyes on the large stone tablet in front of them. Trowa tilted his head lightly, placing a hand against the stone as he inspected the writing on it. "Some kind of ancient language. I've never seen anything like it." He murmured thoughtfully.

            Duo let out a whistle, putting his hands on his hips. "I wasn't expecting to find anything like this, but…" His voice trailed off, however, as a slight glow caught his attention, and he turned.

            Quatre moved forward slowly, automatically, as though in some kind of trance. A sort of soft, blue hue surrounded him, and his eyes had no pupils. Instead, they just stared ahead, glowing with that same blue.

            Duo slowly let his hands down, his lips parted in shock. "…Quatre?"

            A sudden chanting made all of them turn away from Quatre, however. Sana stood in front of the tablet, her eyes glowing like Quatre's, as she began to read the inscription in another language. Her voice seemed distant and unnatural, an ethereal quality to it that made it sound as though she were singing.

            Trowa stared in shock, looking from Quatre to Sana. "What's going on?" He asked, though he knew no one could give him answer. He had never imagined something like this would ever happen. None of them did.

            Sana stopped speaking, leaving them all in silence for a moment before a slow creaking made them all turn their attention to the tablet itself. Slowly, the large stone split open, revealing a doorway into another room. Quatre, eyes still glowing, walked forward slowly, a slightly wind coming through the small tunnel and shifting his hair. Trowa hesitated, before following him into the hidden room. The others soon followed, Sana being the last. 

            The room in which they found was nothing but stunning. There was no ceiling; open sky was above them, revealing pinkish clouds as the sun began to set. Columns encircled the room, beautiful columns of a pearly color. They were made as a kind of winged being, with hands outstretched towards the sky, as though holding up some invisible ceiling. There was a slight breeze in the room that caressed the skin and relaxed the muscles, and the faint sound of a melody that hinted at something extraordinary. Above them, little drops of rain began to fall, though not one ever made it into the room.

            "This… this is incredible…" Duo whispered in astonishment as he watched Quatre walk towards the center of the room, where a circular stone table stood. The small table looked as though it was just carved yesterday, with what looked like the different phases of the moon engraved into the stone. Resting his hands next to the edges of the table, Quatre stared ahead and began to chant something, in the same language they had heard Sana speak in before. As he finished, the wind stirred, circling up towards the sky as a soft blue light fell down onto the table. The beam of light seemed to have music of its own, spreading through the room and through the people in it like some kind of cold warmth. Slowly, something appeared in the beam, drifting down into Quatre's hands. As the small object touched his palm, the light disappeared, taking the wind and the music with it. The sun had set and night had fallen, allowing the moon to shine softly on the travelers. Quatre's eyes dimmed before turning back to the same greenish-blue they'd always been, and he stumbled slightly, blinking in confusion. He looked down at the small crystal and smiled, turning it slightly in the moonlight. _The Lua Stone…_

            Sana pressed her hand against the wall, glancing around uncertainly as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "…What…. just happened?" 

            Quatre, as well as everyone else, turned and looked at her. Smiling, he held up the stone for them to see, as lightening began to flash above him. "We found it. We found the Lua Stone."

            Zechs bowed gracefully and according to tradition, before looking up at the man in front of him. A servant gave his name and status, though it was already quite known. He stood in a regal room, with lush carpets and rugs covering the floor and exquisite tapestries hanging on the walls. Despite the grandeur of the small palace, Zechs quietly seethed at being forced to come here. He wasn't fond of this particular Lord. "Treize sends his regards, Landau, and would ask of you a favor."

            Landau smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow. "I am honored, Zechs." He said, a note of sarcasm to his voice as walked towards the blonde. He was a tall, slender man, with chin-length hair and a beguiling smile. His dark eyes, however, held many secrets, and a certain spark glinted in them that seemed almost unnatural. Brushing a copper lock aside carelessly, he asked, "What is the favor that Treize asks for this time?" Landau had long learned that favors to Treize, though decidedly risky, were always paid well.

            Zechs kept that cool, seemingly indifferent expression on his face as he spoke. "There is a woman that he has discovered as of late that could greatly harm him and his plans for the future of his family. He asks that you would dispose of her quickly and efficiently so that she does not cause any more damage."

            Raising his eyebrow in interest, Landau's lip curved up. "I see. Who is this dangerous lady?" He asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

            "Her name I know not, though I can give you a description. Her hair is long and black, just past her waist. Dark gray eyes, wealthy upbringing, average height for a woman. Slender. She is a Cillian, Landau, so be careful of her," Zechs warned, "You must make her death quick." 

            Landau gave a nod, his dark eyes glinting. "Of course. I'll make sure of it."


	9. An Intriguing Puzzle, Indeed

_Disclaimers:_  Gundam Wing is the sole property of Bandai or Sunrise or whoever those guys are that thought them up. So, yeah, I'm just borrowing the guys for a moment… but I promised to give them back, dun worry.

Author's Notes:

            + Here's another chapter from yours truly. Yes, it's still been awhile and all that, but hey, its still going. And can you believe this, it's been over a _year _since this fic first started! A whole year of vampires biting people, assassins looking for business, cat people hopping around roofs and stealing other people's things, confused girls running away from arranged marriages, royalty running away from their crowns, and a hell of a lot of people denying the truth! And we all know how much fun that is. ^^ So booyah to a whole year of _New Moon_!!

            + The website idea is (you'll never believe this) underway! I actually have my site up, though it still needs a lot of work. Cye's Girl has been a major help when it comes to that, so everybody should go tell her how cool she is. 

            + The whole Manga thing, well, I'd still really like to do that. I really do suck at drawing, so I'll never really do my own manga. But I'm still hoping to find somebody who is interested in doing one that I can collaborate with… again, if any of you know someone or are interested, let me know! And _draw me pictures_!! :3 hehe.

            + As always, please review! Your comments are greatly appreciated; they make meh happeh! ^^

New Moon

Still a GW (alternate universe) Fanfiction

Still by Jou-chan

            Duo shielded his eyes from the rain, glancing up into the clouded sky above them as they tried to formulate some sort of plan. Shelter was a top priority, as night was on them and it didn't look as thought the storm would let up. "We can just stay here for the night." He suggested, looking back to the others.

            Sana squinted, her nose scrunching up. "We're already wet and it's getting cold. Staying here would result in some of us, if not all of us getting sick. I think we should keep going." She said, trying to squeeze the excess water out of her long ebony strands. She made a slight face, twisting the locks together and tossing them over her shoulder in a makeshift do. _That's it, _she thought, _as soon as we get to a town I'm chopping it all off. I don't need it anymore; it's not like I'm getting married or anything. _She smirked slightly at that thought, but returned her attention to the conversation around her.

            "We could be walking all night before we reach a suitable place, though." Quatre pointed out, running a hand through his wet, blonde tresses. "We'd end up being soggy and cold anyway. At least here we have shelter from the wind and rain."

            Trowa nodded in agreement. "That would give us time to think, as well, since we now have the Lua Stone. Maybe there's something around here that could give us more information about it. Another tablet or stone table or something." He added, glancing to the blonde as he said so.

            "Other things should be addressed as well." Wufei spoke up, crossing his arms as he leaned against an old column. "That language, for instance. And how the two of you knew how to read it." He reminded them, looking pointedly at Quatre and Sana. 

            As the wind shifted, Keru flicked her tail back and forth, sniffing the air lightly. "….hm.." She purred slightly, her ears twitching.

            "What is it?" Heero asked, finding that more often than not, he could trust Keru's instincts. They were usually right.

            "I smell something." She muttered, relaxing. "Smells like… humans."

            "Well, duh." Duo said, scratching his head. 

            She glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow, before flicking her tail again. "More like a human town, idiot."

            "A town?" Sana repeated, stepping forward slightly. 

            The cat woman just nodded. "I can go check it out, and come back if I find anything." She suggested, glancing over at Quatre for permission.

            The blonde nodded, sighing. "That's fine. We can look around here for any clues about the Lua Stone, as well. And if it turns out there is a town, that's fine. The better for all of us, I think." 

            Keru gave a nod and started off, trotting back into the woods.

            "So I guess while she goes and snoops around, we check this place out a little more?" Duo asked, placing his hands behind his head, kicking a stone around idly. 

            Quatre gave a nod. "Yes, I think that's best." He rubbed his forehead slightly, glancing around himself and especially at the weather. It looked as though it was getting worse outside. The wind was beginning to pick up, and he thought he saw some lightening between the trees. And Sana had been right. The rain was beginning to get to him, his clothes already soaked through. "We should try to build a fire to keep warm. I sure we can find enough rubble somewhere inside." He suggested.

            Duo sighed slightly, hands still behind his head. "Right-o, then."

            Sana was already ahead of them, though, moving back inside. She wandered around some, squeezing her hair out again, watching as the water trickled down. It amazed her sometimes that hair could soak up so much water. She heard the others follow in behind her, though for the most part they all went off in their separate ways. She decided to search around by herself, see if she couldn't find anything for a fire or even something that might explain why she was able to read that ancient tablet. But first thing first, she wanted to be _warm._

_            The room she was in was huge, with high vaulted ceilings and long windows that sparkled with light. The ceiling of the room was painted brilliant colors of blues and greens, with gold flames licking around the sides. In the center of the room there was a small stone, floating by itself. Bluish light emitted from the stone, stretching out like fire. It spread, filling her room and reaching out to cover every corner of every little thing, illuminating the place completely. The light was warm and friendly, and it made Relena happy, as though she didn't have a care in the world. _

_            A smile spread quickly across her features and she stood, waving her hand in the light. Soon she herself was glowing as she danced around the room, her old palace dress being replaced with a flowing silk robe, ancient symbols written along the hem. The skirt of it circled around her feet as she danced, her hair swaying lightly with each movement. As if a wind carried her along, she moved about the floor, hips swaying with the rhythm. After a moment, she wasn't the only one dancing. There were others, translucent figures moving next to her, every man and woman as beautiful as the next. They all wore similar robes, dancing in the same fashion together to a silent melody that they all heard. And Relena could hear it to. It drifted through her mind, echoing in her room and in her soul and flowed in her veins like blood, as if she'd always known it. _

_            As the ancient song began to change, playing faster and rising in its notes, the dance began to change as well. The rhythm picked up, and the dancers' movements became stronger and more abrupt. And their bodies began to change as well; their robes faded away and wings began to form, folding out of their backs and stretching out to full length. They were translucent wings, though shimmering a beautiful pale blue, as if they were made of water. And slowly, as if time began to slow around her, Relena stopped dancing and held up her arms towards the ceiling as a pair of wings enfolded from her back._

            Relena blinked her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. It was plain, nothing like the one she'd just dreamt of. Sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes, she glanced around herself. The room around her seemed completely normal, just as she had left it before she had dozed off. A normal room in a normal inn in a normal city with normal people. And yet something about her dream… she glanced over her shoulder, checking her back for any new changes she might not of been aware of. But as always, it remained as it had been: normal.

Duo tugged on his braid idly, violet eyes locked onto multiple carvings on the wall in front of him. He studied all of them carefully, running fingers along the different shapes as he tried to decipher the meaning behind them. There was something there that he was missing, almost as if he could see the puzzle piece that would link it all together in his mind, but whenever he reached for it, the distance between it and his hand suddenly grew another length. No matter how he tried, the piece always dangled just in front of him. 

            With a frown, he took a step back, his head tilted slightly. _Well, whatever's going on here, these people sure as hell like moons. _

            "They say that full and new moons are the nights when the greatest powers roam about. Both good and evil." Heero said behind him, leaning complacently against one of the carefully carved columns. 

            Duo put his hands over his head, glancing back at the man briefly. "You would be the expert on that, wouldn't you?"

            Heero ignored that comment, his Prussian blue eyes moving past Duo to the pictures behind him. "There's a little under a week left until the next new moon." He added quietly, pushing himself up off the column and stepping towards the intricate carvings. "Don't you find that a little coincidental?"

            That wasn't exactly the puzzle piece Duo had been looking for, but he thought it was definitely a step in the right direction. "We should tell Quatre." He replied immediately, moving to step past Heero towards where he thought the blonde prince would be. 

            Lifting his hand and catching the assassin's shoulder easily, Heero stopped him. "Quatre's.. a little busy right now."

            Duo raised his eyebrows, glancing back in the direction of the main chamber before returning his gaze to Heero. "Busy? Explain to me how that's remotely possible," he asked, crossing his arms, "When we're all just milling around a ruined palace like mindless _zombies_?"

            A slight smirk made Heero's lips curve up. "Trowa."

            "Oh. Never mind, then." Duo turned away, grinning as he thought about that. He'd had a hunch that maybe Trowa liked the little blonde, but since they'd left town, the signs were harder to pick up. But if Heero had also caught on, then he really wasn't just blindly shooting in the dark, was he? Laughing out loud, he did a little jig, glad that his friend was finally finding some interest in another person. 

            Heero raised an eyebrow, making the gesture look completely and utterly elegant, before asking, "So how's your neck?"

            That definitely made Duo stop in his tracks, giving the vampire a wary glance. "You leave my neck alone, bat-boy." He said, a little too quickly. "You've already had your fill."

            Slowly advancing towards the violet-eyed man, Heero smirked. "I've only just _started_ to have my fill."

Sana heaved a sigh, stretching her arms out above her head before letting them drop at her sides.

            She stood in the middle of a small room, what probably was once a green house, of sorts. Now it was overrun with plants, many strange and exotic flowers blooming, the air fragranced with their aroma. Leafy vines of all sorts ran up the walls, curling around broken lights and tracing their wiry ends along the ceiling. Though as strange as it was, there were a few spots on the walls where no plants grew.

            Wetting her lips, Sana stepped towards one of them, her brow furrowed in concentration. 

            A picture was carved and painted there, the colors still vibrant after so many years of abandonment. The figure of a man stood in an open clearing in the first one, white translucent wings, outstretched to their full length. He was pretty naked, save for a small pendant that hung around his neck and a loincloth. The stone within it glowed a faint, dull blue, and the sky above him was filled with stars, glinting every imaginable color. In the next picture, other winged beings, their wings tinted the same blue as the stone, danced around the man, beautiful in their bare skin. The man himself outstretched his arms, reaching for the moon and stars above him, his body beginning to take on that soft glow. In the third picture, all movement had stopped, and every being now had his or her hands reaching upwards, eyes empty save for that blue radiance. A small cylinder of light fell upon the center man with the white wings, scattering out like dust as it reached his fingertips.

            Sana pursed her lips, running her hands across the image gently, trying to understand. She took the pendant around the man's neck to be the Lua Stone, but after that nothing in the pictures really made much sense to her. The three together looked like steps that should be followed, but for what?   

            "What are you doing?"

            Startled, she jerked her hand away from the wall, glancing back to see Wufei staring at her steadily. "Gods, can't you say hello or something before doing that?" She breathed, closing her eyes as she began to collect her wits about her. "You scared me."

            He just raised an eyebrow in response before moving further into the room, towards her and the pictures. "What are these?" He asked, his dark eyes glancing from her to the images carved into the stone structure before them.

            Her dark gray eyes blinked open, looking back to the colorful engravings with a slight shrug. "They almost look like directions of some sort. Something about the Lua Stone, and what it does, maybe."

            "Or how to use it." Now Wufei was studying the pictures, carefully scanning the handcrafted drawings for anything that might shed some light on their current predicament. 

            Sana sighed, turning away from them as she glanced about the room. "If you find anything, let me know."

            He gave her a slight look, but continued to observe the wall and its secrets.

            Twisting her hair, still feeling water drip out of it even after all her attempts of squeezing it out, she began to wander around the room a little more, gazing at the plant life around her. Every flower was beautiful, each color unique. Some had wide petals, while others were small and shimmering. Some looked like velvet or silk, while other petals curled out like wispy strands of hair. 

            Despite the fact that none really looked familiar, a sense of deja vu suddenly hit her, at full force, and she stood straight, blinking. The perfume of the flowers reminded her of something, but what it was exactly took its sweet time to dawn on her.

            _"Darling, come sit over here." Her mother said, her voice sympathetic as she ushered her raven-haired child over to her vanity table._

_            The daughter glanced up at her briefly, her long locks intertwined around her fingers before she let her hands drop and moved to join her mother. Her cheeks were pale and her eyes glimmered with unshed tears, but her expression was otherwise flawless. _

_            Making room for her on the velvet bench, the mother embraced her gently, pushing wild locks of hair away from her little girl's face. Only, she was no longer a little girl, and the mother knew that her daughter was beginning to feel the responsibilities that her age brought. "I am sorry." She whispered, kissing the girl on the forehead. "It has always been my hope that you would not have to suffer so."_

_            The girl averted her eyes, the dull gray orbs giving no hint of the cleverness that was usually there. "How long has this been planned?"_

_            The older woman, still relatively young, hugged her daughter to her closely. "I honestly do not know, Sana. I have only just found out about it myself. Your father-"_

_            "I will never forgive him!" The girl said abruptly, pulling away from her mother and stepping away, her back turned. Quickly wiping away the stray tears that began to fall, she walked towards the large bay window, leaning against it. _

_            Her mother rose, picking up her skirts as she went to join her daughter. "Please, Sana, do not blame your father. He loves you just as much as I do, and like I do, he fears for your future." Stroking her daughter's dark locks soothingly, she added, "You must know that in your heart."_

_            "But it's _my _future, not his! It's my own to create and shape as I please, and I should have the right to make my own decisions!"_

_            "Sana," Her mother breathed, a look of fear and worry etched onto her visage, "This family is run by your father, as the town is entirely run by men. It is a women's duty to marry and then serve her husband to the best of her abilities." Her smile was forced, and her tone betrayed the fact that maybe the older woman had been repeating that same statement to herself for many long, lonely nights._

_            "I'm not going to marry him." The girl stated firmly, looking away from the garden outside to her mother, her eyes determined. "Believe me when I say that I would rather die than be submitted to a society of men that won't let me live my life in the freedom that they rightly abuse." With that said, she turned her back to the window, to her mother, and to her father and the society he represented, and walked out of the room._

_            The other woman watched in sorrow, her dark eyes filling with tears as she collapsed to the floor, grieving for her daughter. "My Meiran..."_

            "Sana."

            Jumping again, she blinked and turned slightly, immediately hiding the emotions that had been playing across her face. 

            Wufei eyed her carefully, his arms folded comfortably across his toned chest. "We should go and tell Quatre and the others about these." He said, his tone seeming indifferent to whatever she might be thinking. Though something about his eyes made her pause and wonder if that was really true or not.

            "…Of course." She dropped her eyes, fingers winding themselves into her hair absentmindedly. After a moment, she heard his footsteps and glanced back up. "Wufei.. Can you teach me to fight?"

            He stopped instantly in his walk towards the door, turning to look at her sharply. "You're joking."

            Sana began to remember why she had thought about asking somebody _else_ to train her. "No, I'm not joking. I want to learn to use a sword so I can defend myself." She said, dropping her arms to her side and matching his stare.

            "No." He said abruptly, and turned away, as if that was the final word on the matter.

            She followed after him, balling her fists angrily. "What do you mean, no?! I'm not taking that for an answer, Wufei!!"

Quatre paced around his fire slowly, unable to think of anything else but the Lua Stone. He had it now, but what was he to use it for? How would he be able to _use _it at all? Throw it at Relena's kidnappers and expect them to fall dead?

            The fire crackled warmly in front of him, as if telling him to relax and take a seat, and dry out those clothes you mortal fool or you'll catch your death cold. 

            Sighing, he dropped down onto a weathered stone, stretching his legs out in front of him. He was a little sore, and the warmth of the flames helped soothe those tight muscles in his thighs. Despite the fact that they were kind of stranded there until they got any word from Keru, he was glad for the break. It gave him time to think. 

            He wasn't quite sure exactly how he got the Lua Stone. It was as though it was something he just knew, like ducks in water. But what made it weirder was that Sana had been involved. Not even his dream with the winged girl had warned him of that. But nevertheless, Sana had went into the same trance like state, and she sang to him, and told him of the Star Dance, and of the people who danced it, the Lithlua. And when she had stopped, the doorway had opened in front of him, and he entered the Lua Chamber. In the center of the room stood the circular pedestal, decorated with the phases of the moon. Once again, he had instinctively known what was to be done, and he had done so accordingly. 

            "_Luaia, Goddess of the Stars and Moon, Mother of the Star Dance, I ask you for your help. The darkness grows, and its peak is nearing. Please, sweet Lady, send us your wisdom and guidance and let us tread the path of the stars._" Quatre paused after he finished, staring into the fire before him with a bemused expression. That was what he had chanted at the pedestal, before the chamber lit up with a blue light and the Lua Stone dropped out of the air. _But what did it mean?!_

            "Is that what you said back there?" Trowa asked suddenly, detaching himself from the shadows near the door.

            Quatre blinked at him, clearing his vision and offering the man a smile. "Yes, it is. Though I don't understand why or how…" His voice trailed off and he sighed, frustrated that he could not find the answers.

            Trowa just smiled lightly and crouched at the fire, warming his hands. "I'm sure it'll come to you." He replied evenly, his voice surprisingly kinder than he had ever heard it. "The same way you recognized the Lua Stone, you'll find its purpose."

            "So," Quatre caught on, "You believe me about the dream?"

            The brown-haired man was silent for a moment, before he glanced back up at him, his clear green eyes looking at him softly. "I always have."

            The blonde managed a nod, his eyes dropping to the bluish green stone in his hands, fumbling with it slightly. "Oh."

            There was an awkward silence between them for a moment, the rain pouring down outside around them seeming a thousand times louder than it really was before Trowa spoke.

            "If you can understand what you said, did you understand Sana when she began that chant?" He asked, leaning forward some out of his curiosity.

            Quatre nodded, smiling once again. "Yes. It was a song; the words on the tablet were a song, and the song, created from the Star Dance, was the key to opening the Lua Chamber!" He jumped up in his excitement, reaching forward and catching Trowa by the arm. "The Star Dance! Singing must be the key to using the stone!"

            The blonde's enthusiasm rubbed off on Trowa and he couldn't help but smile. "Maybe if we look around this place, we'll find more keys that will help unlock this mysterious Star Dance of yours."

            Quatre paused, glancing to the side. "I think we should find the others and tell them what we've discovered. And to see if Sana remembers what she did, the same way I did."

            "Of course," Trowa agreed easily, "Though you were the one to figure it out, not me."

            The blonde smiled, blushing slightly. "Trowa…"

            But whatever he was going to say was cut off by Wufei, stalking angrily into the room from the left with Sana at his heels.

            "Why are you being so stubborn about this?! It's not like I asked you to do something hideously awful!"

            "Do you not understand what _no _means?!"

            Making an exasperated sound, Sana did the only think she could think of, and bent down swiftly. Tightening her fingers around a smooth stone, she picked it up and hurled it at the ninja. 

            It barely missed his head, flying by his ear and landing a few passes away from Trowa, who merely stared at the scene before him.

            Wufei froze, staring at the rock in disbelief, before turning on the dark-haired woman. "Did you…?!"

            "Damn straight! And I'll do it again if you don't help me!" She said stubbornly, putting her hands on her hips. 

            Behind them, Quatre smothered a giggle, though the two heard the sound anyway. 

            Sana gave Wufei one last glare before brushing past him and approaching Quatre quickly. "You'll teach me to use a sword, won't you?" She asked, sounding hopeful. "I want to be able to defend myself with out worrying you guys."

            Quatre smiled cheerfully for her. "Of course, Sana. We'll all help."

            "All of us except for Wufei, anyway." Trowa added in amusement, smirking at the onyx-haired man. 

            Wufei scowled, crossing his arms, obviously irritated. _Pampered brat. If there's one thing I_ never _do, it'll be taking a wife. Women._

            Heero chose that moment to stroll in, looking particularly calm compared to the rest of them. Raising an eyebrow at their expressions, he asked, "Are we having a disagreement?"

            "Sana asked Wufei to train her with a sword and he refused." Trowa explained lightly, lips still curled up in amusement.

            "Good. Gods know that woman doesn't need a weapon in her hand." He responded, his tone utterly conversational.

            Sana made an indignant sound before turning. "Where's that rock I threw?"

Landau paced in his chambers, his copper hair vivid in the darkness. _A Cillian, hm? _He thought to himself, scratching his chin lightly as he eyed himself in the mirror. _Such a woman would make me great profit. It would be a terrible shame to destroy her as Treize so wishes. _

            He paused, crooning in front of the mirror, his dark eyes flickering with an ill mirth. If he caught the woman as Treize asked, and then just locked her up in a cell somewhere in the dungeons, she'd still be well out of the other man's way. And then Landau could reap the profits she would inevitably attract.

            Smirking triumphantly, he turned back to his bed, where his newest whore lay, sprawled across the sheets. Dead. He cared not, for his desires for her had been sated and she no longer proved to satisfy his needs. Now he hungered for someone else, someone who could bring him power. _And if what my spies say are true, perhaps she will prove to be a splendid treasure to use, indeed._

_To be continued…_


	10. Selfish Pursuits

_Disclaimers: _Gundam Wing is, of course, sole property to Bandai and Sunrise and all those talented people who actually get paid for all this. IÕm not getting any money out of this, so it would be ethically wrong for me to get sued. Honestly.

Well, thereÕs not much to say, you know? This chapter is beyond due, and for those of you who are still checking up with this story, I thank you for your incredible patience and understanding as I slowly get these chapters out. Life has been absolutely crazy with school, work, rehearsals, homework, and getting ready for college and all that. And I know thatÕs not a good excuse, but itÕs all IÕve got. I hope this chapter makes up for the long delay Ð IÕm sure it will make all you yaoi fans out there quite happy.

New Moon 

_Chapter Ten: Selfish Pursuits_

As soon as Keru returned to the make shift camp in the ruins, she noticed there was something quite different. True, it had taken much longer than she thought it would to sniff out that town Ð but she found it. A small, peaceful, carefully hidden town in the depths of the woods in which few travelers ever came by; It was quite obvious to her that it was a good place to be if you didnÕt want to be found - exactly what they were looking for.

But as she stepped carefully over broken up stones and crumbling foundations, she began to sense a strange scent in the air. The place was still wet, and a light drizzle still sprinkled down from the sky, but considering the earlier downpour, it really wasnÕt all that bad. The scent of rain was nothing, however, to the other primal human smells that were rampant in the area. A small smirk spread across her features and she could only chuckle as she made her way into the broken down palace. 

It was strangely quiet, but then again, perhaps that wasnÕt so strange, if her suspicions were correct. There was the sound of a fire off somewhere to her right, and she wandered in that direction, catching sight of the glowing embers quickly enough. 

The room was pretty empty, minus Sana, who seemed rather perturbed about something or other. She was staring blankly into the crackling flames, the red light casting odd shadows on her face. Not seeming to notice the cat lady as she entered the room, Keru decided that her brief absence must have been eventful.

ÒWhere is everyone?Ó She asked, resting a hand on her hip as her tail flicked back and forth idly.

Sana blinked, sitting straight. ÒOh, youÕre back.Ó There was a pause before she continued, her mind obviously elsewhere. ÒThe othersÉ Well, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei are all looking at some pictures I found about winged people and the Lua Stone. I donÕt know where Duo and Heero are, and quite frankly I donÕt want to knowÉÓ

Keru raised an eyebrow. ÒIndeed. And what about you?Ó

The dark-haired woman just stared at her for a moment, as though she were trying to discern what her intentions were. After a moment, she just shrugged, her eyes dropping back to the fire. ÒJust trying to figure some things out, I guess.Ó

ÒWhat sort of things?Ó Keru continued to question, dropping down onto a dry patch of stone in front of the dancing flames, enjoying the warmth they created.

She expected the other girl to snap at her, tell her to mind her own business, something like that. But instead, Sana just shut her eyes tightly and sighed in frustration. 

ÒKeru, is there something you want?Ó Her voice was tired and for once the steely, determined girl looked a little lost.

Both eyebrows went up at her little discovery and Keru blinked once before deciding that it would probably be beneficial to her if she stayed civil for the moment. ÒNot really, no. LetÕs just say IÕm curious.Ó

Sana smiled a little then, and peeked one eye open at her in amusement. ÒYou know what they sayÉÓ 

Keru just smirked.

ÒThat fucking hurts, Yuy!Ó Duo struggled against the weight of the other man, clenching his teeth as he felt the flesh on his neck being torn once again. The strange, trickling sensation of blood brought a few other memories flooding back and he tensed quite noticeably, though no longer fighting back.

Heero just smirked as he drank, sucking the sweet liquid into his mouth, savoring the metallic taste as he easily held the other against the wall, his strength overpowering the other. ÒStop being such a baby,Ó he finally muttered, his mouth still on the smooth skin of the other. He loved necks, though not surprisingly, being a vampire and all, and the sight of a long, soft, supple, curving neck drove him crazy. Duo was just finding this out the hard way.

ÒIÕm not being a baby,Ó the chestnut-haired man protested feebly, turning his head away, as if such a movement would somehow help him, though it only succeeded in exposing more of his neck. Perhaps that wasnÕt such a bad thing though, he thought darkly, his lips trembling as he tried to fight the burning sensation that the other man seemed to produce in him. 

As though he sensed the inner turmoil Duo seemed to be putting himself through, Heero shifted his position a little, his tongue trailing under the assassinÕs chin, teasing. ÒYou know you like it, Maxwell. DonÕt fight it.Ó

His breath caught in his throat, and Duo stilled, suddenly very, very unsure of himself. Which was an emotion he wasnÕt used to feeling, and quite frankly, he didnÕt like it at all. Somehow he found the strength to push the other man back, just enough so that he could slip away and out of the room. 

Heero let his tongue flicker out over his lips, picking up stray drops of blood as he watched the other boy quickly leave. He couldnÕt help but smirk Ð he knew a victory when he saw one, and he was quite sure that the other boy knew this as well. It was just a matter of time, and time was something he had plenty of. 

He crossed his arms leisurely, a little swagger to his step as he started back towards the designated main room, where Quatre had set up the fire. A fleeting song entered his brain and he hummed it idly, thoroughly enjoying the sight of Duo, squirming and writhing under him. It was a memory well worth reliving.

Relena sighed as she sat on her bed, knees pulled up to her chest protectively. Her eyes wandered about the room in a mock-dance, usually making the familiar trek from the window and the outside world to her own prison and the woman who held the key. She still didnÕt know how or why she was here, who Noin really was, whom they were going to meet; she didnÕt know anything at all, really, and it bothered her. She was always one to keep up with the happenings of the palace; she enjoyed the political arena, enjoyed debating with Quatre and his father whenever the three of them could just relax together.

Quatre.

Her eyes dropped to the pale green comforter that covered the bed, her fingers stroking it lightly. She missed the blonde a great deal, though the knowledge that he was looking for her helped to soften her woes. 

Noin, however, seemed increasingly anxious as the hours wore on, and for some reason Relena couldnÕt help but feel sorry for the woman. She didnÕt know why Ð yet another uncertainty to add to that growing list Ð but the feeling was there, nevertheless. 

Shaking her head, forcing herself to focus on something she could be certain about, she pressed her forehead against her knees before asking gently, ÒHow much longer must we wait here?Ó

Noin suppressed a smile, and looked about to answer, but the door to the room suddenly opened and a tall, striking man entered.

Relena immediately saw the look that passed over NoinÕs features and wondered at the adoration before giving her full attention to the platinum blonde before her. He was older than she was, probably closer to NoinÕs own age, but there was something about his eyes that seemed to deny age entirely. They were cold, calculating eyes, eyes that had known and seen too much in their time. For a moment she felt mesmerized by the quiet blue, instantly knowing that some time before they had once glimmered with laughter. Some time before, they had been like stars.

ÒWell?Ó Noin asked, standing straight as she completely forgot the girlÕs earlier question.

ÒThe preparations have been made, but weÕre cutting it too close. ItÕs time to leave,Ó he said with authority, and Relena pushed herself to the side of the bed, her eyebrows raised in inquiry.

ÒPreparations?Ó

He looked at her then, and something flickered in his eyes Ð recognition. But the moment passed just as quickly as it had come, and Relena was bewildered once again.

ÒIÕm afraid that is not for you to know, Princess. Now take what we need; we need to be gone as soon as possible.Ó

Noin just nodded and ushered Relena forward, grabbing the cloaks they wore off the side table and draped it over her quickly. ÒCome, Miss Relena.Ó

Relena complied numbly, though her eyes didnÕt leave the manÕs face. She felt something, staring at him, and it sent a surge of electricity up her spine. And as he turned and walked back out the door, his cloak billowing behind him, she was suddenly reminded of wings. Soft, enchanting wings.

Quatre felt a great sigh of relief surge through his body as his little group ambled into the small town, the new scents reminding him of home, the way it should have been. He thought briefly of his father before he shook his head, deciding that those were thoughts better left for a time when he could allow him self some self-pity. 

ÒLetÕs find a hotel and check in, so we can all get off our feet for awhile.Ó Trowa suggested, stepping up next to the blonde as he gestured towards a few inns. 

Nodding in agreement, the Prince looked back towards the others and waved them to hurry. ÒCome on, weÕre just inches from a warm bed. Hurry!Ó

Duo dragged himself after him, the reins of his horse hanging loosely in his hands as he forced himself to keep walking. He was more exhausted than heÕd care to admit Ð losing blood tended to do that to you. Careful to keep his boyish charm and good looks apparent, he grinned at the blonde. ÒRight behind you.Ó

Keru glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, before looking back to Heero. He met her eyes and only smirked in response, and that was all the information that she needed. Managing to keep her snickers silent, she directed her attention to the other girl who traveled quietly next to her.

Sana seemed a little tired herself, though that didnÕt seem to slow her at all. Their little chat back at the old palace had seemed to do the both of them quite a lot of good, but Keru was sure that whatever plagued the other girl was always at least lurking right behind her, if not the prominent thought that occupied her head.

The half-breed mused a bit at the irony in their sudden ÔfriendshipÕ, if it could even be called that. But being the only women, it seemed fitting enough. Fate could be quite strange indeed.

As the wet, ragged group trudged on through the small town, mostly silent if not for a few side remarks here and there about their surroundings, their goal, or their intolerably long hair, they were taken by surprise when a sudden cackle resounded quite near.

ÒNinja of Draconia! Young man, you are far from home!Ó

Wufei raised an eyebrow, turning towards the voice before all color was drained from his cheeks. ÒÉoh godsÉÓ

An old woman hobbled towards them, leaning heavily on her gnarly wooden staff as she grinned cheekily up at the dark-haired youth. ÒMy my, you have grown some, havenÕt you?Ó She asked, her scratchy voice odd but strangely familiar to all of them.

The ninja looked utterly exasperated, and the sight was quite amusing. ÒWhat are you doing here, you crazy old fortune-teller? HavenÕt you ruined enough lives already?Ó

His harsh words were surprising to the ears and Quatre looked completely shocked. ÒWufei, thatÕs not polite at all!Ó

The old woman only chuckled, winking at the blonde. ÒYouÕre a good boy, thank you, dearie. But donÕt worry about little old me. The young Draacon here will need it much more once he hears what I have to say.Ó

If at all possible, Wufei paled even more. ÒDonÕt do this.Ó

She just grinned. ÒDo what?Ó

ÒIf you werenÕt so old, IÕdÑÒ

ÒHave you found it yet?Ó She interrupted, peering at him from under her hood, a strange sparkle to her eyes.

The ninja sighed. ÒFound what yet?Ó

ÒWhat you were looking for, of course.Ó

Wufei closed his eyes, wishing that he had never ever set foot in this town. Had he known this nightmare from his past was trekking these very roadsÉ ÒIf youÕre referring to the goal of our party, the answer is no.Ó

She just shook her head. ÒNot your friendÕs goal. Your goal.Ó

ÒIÕm not looking for anything, then,Ó he muttered, rubbing his temples as he tried to ward off the headache that was sure to come. _Stupid onna._

ÒOh but you are, young sir. You are indeed looking for something. DonÕt you remember?Ó

Wufei shook his head, suddenly very tired, and very wary. HeÕd never had a conversation with this old lady that didnÕt come out bad in some way. Managing to keep that cool, calm tone to his voice, he asked, ÒThen what is it?Ó

She smiled then, a thin, secretive smile, and the others all leaned forward instinctively, all of them wondering about the old lady and Wufei, and what kind of past was being played out in front of them.

ÒIt is not a matter of what, per say, but of whom.Ó

The onyx-haired youth was silent, his eyes narrowed. But something in them said that he understood her riddles, though the meaning behind them may not have been one he liked. After a long moment of silence, he said quietly, ÒThat is one prophecy that will not come true.Ó

ÒThere are some fates that cannot be changed, young one,Ó was her reply, her tone empty of the previous amusement that it held. She jabbed the earth sharply with her staff a few times, her eyes crinkled in scrutiny as she turned them away from Wufei, who was looking very unhappy at the moment, and towards those traveling with him. That same old glimmer came back as she eyed Duo, but nothing was said and her eyes moved again to Quatre.

ÒMy dear, I see good things in your future.Ó Her voice was kind, holding no trace of the earlier dismay it held for Wufei. ÒThough IÕm afraid a relation of yours is not so lucky.Ó

The blonde stilled instantly, and he almost felt as though he were choking on nothing. ÒÉa relation?Ó He repeated, and his mind thought wildly of his father, and then Relena, kidnapped and all alone. There was nothing he hated more than to see those he cared about suffer needlessly, and especially after doing so muchÉ

The old woman averted her eyes again, and this time they fell on Sana, who just stared at her, her head turned away slightly as though she expected something she was already quite aware of. She wasnÕt prepared, however, for the bluntness that soon came.

ÒYou are a very selfish girl, arenÕt you?Ó The withered woman finally spoke, leaning heavily on her staff once again. ÒHurting those you love so you can be happy.Ó

Sana felt her blood freeze in her veins, though her own eyes remained defiant. 

Still nailing her down with that hard gaze, the old woman took a few wobbly steps towards her. ÒYes, that stubborn streak of yours is truly a tragic flaw. You have been raised in the best of households, given the best of what money could buy, provided for in every sense of the word,Ó she continued, her voice grating, ÒAnd have been sought after by a number of well respected, prominent figures in your society.Ó

Her lovely cheeks were painted pink, her eyes burning in silent rage and humility as the old woman continued her tirade, and all Sana could do was grip her saddle a little tighter as her knuckles quickly turned white with pressure.

Quatre frowned, suddenly very put out with this woman, a trifle embarrassed himself, but mostly confused. He didnÕt understand what was going on, or why, but he felt the growing need to help the other girl. ÒMadam, please, this is uncalled for-Ò

The old woman simply ignored him (which infuriated a certain green-eyed man), and peered up at the raven-haired girl with the same cold gaze from before as she continued again, ÒEven so, youÕve dishonored your family and run away from home, betraying those who love you dearly and harming those who only wish to help you.Ó There was a silent pause then, and they sat in silence, unable to say or do anything as the woman kept her eerie stare on Sana. ÒWell now that youÕre here, my dear, are you happy?Ó

She stared at her for a moment, dark gray eyes still blazing, before averting her gaze away, suddenly quite lifeless. ÒNo.Ó

More silence. The tension was thick, and the mood uncomfortable, and no one wanted to be the first to move again.

Finally the old lady just gave a sharp nod. ÒI see.Ó Turning away then, she began back towards the direction in which she had first come, the wooden staff giving off a quiet but resounding sound as it thudded against the ground. It was the only sound made for what seemed like ages, until Sana abruptly turned her horse and started further into the town. 

ÒWeÕre not going to get anything done by sulking around out here,Ó she muttered, and urged her horse forward, taking the lead.

Quatre followed, and slowly the others came up after him, though the dire mood the old woman had created still hung heavily about their shoulders. 

It was much later, while Quatre was seated comfortably in the tavern part of their inn, sipping thoughtfully from his wine, when the occurrence was addressed. 

ÒWho the hell is she?Ó Duo asked, chewing on the end of his braid. ÒI mean, seriously, who the fuck does that?Ó

Wufei just glanced at him before inspecting his dagger again, running a finger along the length of the blade. ÒObviously she does.Ó

Giving the assassin a calming look (knowing that definitely wasnÕt the sort of answer Duo was looking for), Trowa licked his lips once before speaking to Wufei. ÒHow do you know her?Ó

ÒShe is a wandering prophet of the Draacon people and is widely respected by all seven orders. Not once has she been wrong in predicting a fate.Ó

ÒSo,Ó Quatre concluded, remembering the conversation quite vividly as some of it did pertain to him and his, ÒWho is it youÕre supposed to be look for?Ó

The ninja gave him a very cool look then, as if judging whether or not any of them deserved to hear this. After a long moment he just gave a slight nod, setting his dagger on the table before him gently. ÒThe old woman seems to think that I am destined to take a wife, despite the fact that I am a ninja and I am not capable of such a thing.Ó

Duo couldnÕt help but snicker, and received due justice by a swift kick to his shin.

ÒOh,Ó Quatre gave a small nod, smiling slightly, though his mind was still very troubled. ÒI guess it seems a few of us heard some things we did not want to tonight.Ó

There was another quiet pause, and though none of them directly mentioned her, they each briefly thought of Sana and the verbal onslaught that she had received. The blonde sighed softly and closed his eyes, and hoped that she was all right, wherever she might be.

Sana refused to stay in their presence when she knew all they would think about when they looked at her was what that terrible woman had said. She didnÕt want their pity, she didnÕt need it, and she certainly didnÕt want to have to explain herself to them all. But whether or not that was just that same old stubborn streak in her speaking out, or instead, something akin to fear, she didnÕt really know. Quite frankly, she didnÕt want to know. The womanÕs words had filled her with doubt, and now they were all she could think about. 

Rubbing her forehead gently, trying to relax herself everyway she knew how, the raven-haired girl continued to walk down the street, mindlessly wandering. She wasnÕt concerned about being lost; in fact she was sure that right now she needed to be missing, separated from the others for awhile. It would help her to clear up a few things in her life that desperately needed some tending to.

She hadnÕt taken many more steps before she got the acute sense of someone watching her. Glancing up, forgetting her own troubles for the moment, she noticed a rather broad-chested man gazing at her peculiarly, a piece of parchment in his hand. He seemed a little anxious, but then there was something else about him that made her waryÉ

ÒExcuse me, maÕam?Ó He started forward, his deep voice gentle, curious, if anything.

Raising an eyebrow, Sana managed a quiet, ÒYes?Ó

ÒThis may sound a bit, uh, strange, but IÕve got this paper here. Seems like somebody is searching for you. See?Ó He held it out so that she could get a good look at it, and as her eyes scanned the paper, all color drained from her face.

ÒÉgodsÉÓ Her hand gripped her cloak tightly, and suddenly she felt quite woozy. The paper held a fair depiction of herself on it, and the word _missing _scrawled across the top, with a sizable reward promised to whoever found her and brought her home safely. What caught her attention, however, was the name put on the paper.

_Meiran_, not Sana. 

Which meant that her father either didnÕt know about these attempts, or didnÕt care. Which _meant _that it was entirely her motherÕs doing. Little did her father know, the name given to her at birth had not been Sana, like he had thought it was. It had been Meiran, as her mother had wanted it to be. Only she and Sana knew this, and neither spoke of it. So now, to see it printed across the dirty piece of parchment, the dark-haired girl suddenly became very anxious.

ÒWhere did you get this?Ó She asked breathlessly, her eyes wide as her mind went wild with the possibilities.

He just blinked at her, before gesturing down a smaller road. ÒSome lady was handing them out, down that way. I can take you to her, if you like.Ó

Sana nodded numbly, and she realized that she couldnÕt feel her legs. The only thing she could feel was her heart thumping against her chest with a mad intensity; she was sure if she didnÕt calm down it would break right through and keep on bouncing down the street. 

Gesturing for her to follow, he started down the little dirt road towards his promised destination. This road was much less crowded than the last few she had encountered, if crowded could even be properly used for them. There was no one else outside here, it seemed, and as her racing heart calmed she began to realize how empty it really was. Slowly but surely she became aware of her situation, though even then she was taken off guard when a few more men appeared out of an alley way behind her.

She turned sharply, staring at them with clouded eyes that betrayed none of the fear she suddenly felt.

ÒSilly girl, didnÕt your mother even tell you not to speak with strangers?Ó Her guide asked then, smirking menacingly at her as he nodded for the others to fall in. They came towards her then, pulling cloth and rope from the insides of their cloaks.

Sana was fully prepared to scream, but then she caught sight of something that made her stop. Or rather, someone.

The men took that chance and gagged her, before quickly tying her hands and legs, binding her up to the point where she could not move without falling over. The ropes were tight and they burnt her skin, but even as her eyes watered, she kept herself from crying out. She wouldnÕt give them that.

KeruÕs lip curled up in a snarl as she watched the men bind and gag Sana before taking her off, back into the woods. She had been following the girl from the beginning, deciding that it probably wasnÕt smart to leave her to herself. Especially after that old lady let her tongue flop around like that. Nevertheless, she hadnÕt expected anything of this sort at all. Turning and quickly making her way back to the inn, Keru knew that this sudden turn of events would put quite a damper on things. 

The old lady had said that she had only brought harm to those that tried to help herÉ how odd, how terribly and perfectly coincidental this sudden kidnapping was. And yet while she had the feeling that the woman couldnÕt have possibly been involved, she wouldnÕt put it past her. That did leave a blank list of suspects, and that was one trouble that they didnÕt need added to their list.

The good thing about it was that Keru knew SanaÕs scent. Seeing as she had been tracking her for a good part of the day, she was familiar enough with it to do it again, even after it might have had time to fade away. Which meant they had a very good chance of getting her back, and soon. _But first things first_, she thought, _to tell Quatre and the others. _

They looked up when she nearly charged through the front door, and immediately Quatre was up, concern wrought on his face. ÒWhat is it? WhatÕs wrong?Ó

Trowa stood up after him, though much more relaxed. If there was one thing she admired about him, it was that irritating ability to stay calm in any situation. ÒKeru?Ó

Running her tongue over her teeth, her tail swishing back and forth insistently, she whispered urgently, ÒSanaÕs been kidnapped.Ó

Now Wufei was up as well, eyebrows raised. ÒKidnapped?Ó

ÒBy who?Ó Trowa asked, and Keru proceeded to explain to them what she had seen, starting from the piece of parchment with the reward money. By the end of the story Quatre looked ready to tear his own hair out, and he sat down stiffly, burying his face in his hands for a moment as he tried to regain a little bit of control.

ÒDamn it.Ó

Nothing was said then, as Duo wandered up, waving a piece of paper in his hand in slight bewilderment. ÒI donÕt know whatÕs got your toes curling, but I just ran across a rather interesting ad. Perhaps youÕd like to see?Ó He spread the thing out on the table so that they all could get a good look at it.

It was the same missing persons paper that the man had goaded Sana with, and strangely enough, DuoÕs story about finding it was not unlike the one the man had told Sana. Was it that her mother was actually looking for her, then, in this very town?

ÒIt says Meiran,Ó Wufei finally muttered, his voice strangely choked. 

ÒIt does, doesnÕt it?Ó Duo nodded, hands on his hips as he scanned the parchment. ÒMaybe Sana isnÕt her real name. We donÕt know much about her, after all. The old lady told us more than Sana did, really.Ó

Quatre gave him a slight look at that, but he remained silent because in actuality, it was the truth. As much as he respected and liked her, she hadnÕt told them anything at all involving her past and why she had come to his fatherÕs kingdom. Granted, people passed through there all the time, but there were little things that he began to think of now that didnÕt seem to make sense. For example, the fact that she knew Heero, and the fact that she was a Cillian. And now all this nonsense about running away from homeÉ he didnÕt really know what to think any more. 

ÒFirst things first,Ó he finally said, running a hand through his blonde locks. ÒWe bring her back. Keru can take us and weÕll rescue her from those kidnappers and then get out of here as soon as we can. But thereÕs still a lot that has to be resolved, and if what Duo says is true, we might be able to locate her mother and get some of this information. Either way, weÕve got to prepare some provisions, as long as weÕre here, so I propose we split up.Ó

Duo nodded in agreement. ÒSounds good to me. Since we want this to go as quickly as possible, IÕll go with Keru and weÕll get Sana. You guys can stay here and get all that other crap together.Ó

ÒHeero will be coming with us,Ó Keru added, glancing towards the chestnut-haired man carefully. ÒHe has some experience in these situations.Ó

There was an awkward pause then, before Wufei voiced what they had all been thinking. ÒSeems to me weÕve all got a few things to explain.Ó

ÒOnce we get Sana back and we all sit down, IÕm sure it can all be dealt with properly. But until then,Ó Trowa glanced around at them, ÒIÕd say we have some work to do.Ó

To be continuedÉ 


	11. Innocence Lost

_Disclaimers: _Gundam Wing and anything having to do with Gundam Wing are property to those nice people at Bandai and Sunrise and all those people that actually get paid for being cool.

_Notes: _Just to get this out of the way, some of the charactersÉ namely, the ones that arenÕt normally in the series, are my creations. I donÕt mind if you use them but you need my permission to do that, otherwise DEATH IS IMMINENT!!!

So anyway. IÕm hoping this time the font works and those stupid little circles donÕt appear where the quotation marks should be. I was so aggravated with that. If this works, then IÕll go back and change the other one. If it doesnÕtÉ may god have mercy on my soul.

Also, please note that the content of this is beginning to fit the PG-13 rating, and it might possibly change to R, if I decide to be a fan-whore and give everybody what they want. And we know what that is, donÕt we? Mee-ow.

New Moon Chapter XI: innocence lost 

Quatre chewed on his fingernails nervously as he watched the rain pour down outside. It fell at a slant Ð big, fat droplets that thudded against the windowpane Ð and left even those with thick protective coats soaked to the bone. It was the rain that had driven the three of them inside seeking shelter, and they sat there still, waiting for it to subside. So far, things were not exactly going to plan. 

ÒQuatreÉ are you alright?Ó 

The blonde blinked, glancing back to a pair of concerned green eyes before smiling a little. ÒYes, thank you. Just anxious, I suppose. I hope the others are having more luck than we are.Ó

Trowa nodded, settling down next to him at the table. ÒYeah.Ó He didnÕt have to voice the fact that the rain could easily wash away SanaÕs trail Ð they were both thinking about it. The continually growing number of dire possibilities that seemed to spread out before their feet was beginning to weigh down on them, though it effected Quatre the most, and Trowa silently wished that the smaller boy didnÕt have to go through all this. It just seemed wrong to hurt such a gentle, caring person.

Pausing, shaking his head free of those lingering thoughts, the taller one just sighed. ÒPerhaps we should just go out in the rain anyway. I donÕt think we can wait for it to stop much longer.Ó

Wufei, who had been coming back from the bar with some warm drinks for all of them, dropped into the corner chair with his own resounding sigh and burning eyes. ÒAfter we drink, maybe.Ó

Looking back to the ninja, raising his eyebrows before pulling the steaming mug towards him, Quatre sniffed it delicately. ÒDo you know what it is?Ó He asked, peering into the thick liquid pensively.

The black-haired boy was silent, his finger mixing his own drink while he stared blankly at the table.

Trowa arched an eyebrow, and received the same bewildered look from Quatre. They both decided to test the stuff themselves and after a few tentative sips, agreed that whatever it was, it was quite good. ÒYou know,Ó Trowa began, pulling the dirty parchment with SanaÕs likeness on it a little closer so that he might inspect it again, ÒIf we find the woman who was handing these out, weÕre going to give Sana away.Ó

Quatre nodded, putting his chin on his hand. ÒBut we wonÕt really know anything unless we try. And if it comes to it,Ó he murmured, much quieter, ÒIÕll just use my status to help Sana, and to keep her with us. SheÕs just as much a part of this now as we all are.Ó

Wufei glanced over at him at this, his finger dripping dry onto the wooden table. ÒThe paper says Meiran. TheyÕll be looking for someone named Meiran, not Sana,Ó he reminded them, his tone flat.

Licking his lips as he thought, Trowa tilted his head to the side. ÒWhat if she is Meiran, and not Sana? She could have easily been lying to us.Ó

The ninja suddenly stiffened, his back straight. ÒShe is not Meiran.Ó

Trowa just stared at him, while Quatre was slightly taken back. ÒÉis something wrong, Wufei?Ó The blonde asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice.

ÒNo.Ó Resigned once again, as if his earlier discomfort had never really happened at all, Wufei brought the mug to his lips and drank, his eyes closed.

It seemed as though sheÕd been in the dark forever. Nothing but blackness had stood before her, and the vague feeling that if it should change, it would be no better than the emptiness before her. But gradually the darkness began to fade, giving way to a hazy light that flickered across her features. When her senses decided to come to, she recognized the flickering light as coming from a candle. Many candles, actually. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

She found things not to her liking.

The room was large, shadowed, covered in expensive fabrics and paintings. She recognized it to be a bedroom; to her left was the bed, a monster of a thing, covered with velvet and silk. The room itself was painted black Ð everything was as dark as the night sky, despite the warm flickering of the candles (which she realized now were scented), though they only created more shadows. The place gave her a queasy feeling in her stomach and she suddenly wished that she had never wandered off in the first place.

Especially when she found that her wrists and ankles were bound to a rather high chair, her normal clothes Ð including undergarments - gone and replaced by something sheÕd never even dreamed of wearing. The fabric was thin, thinner than silk, and held the same glossy shine to it despite the lack of light. The long dress glowed white, though the innocence of the color was drowned out by the tightly tied laces that left most of her back exposed and her curves outlined. Upon further search she realized that the material was nearly sheer Ð any sort of light would show more than just the dress.

She suddenly felt very, very alone, and knew that if she didnÕt gain control of her fear it would overwhelm her. Breathing very deep but shaky breaths, she squeezed her eyes shut and told herself over and over that she needed to stay strong. The key was to _stay strong!_

The door opened sometime later and a tall, slender man stalked in, the dirty scowl on his face changing to a slow, broad smirk as he caught sight of her. ÒWell, donÕt you clean up nice?Ó

Keeping her gaze hard and her face blank, Sana turned her nose up at him. ÒLet me go at once.Ó

He just chuckled, crossing his muscled arms over his chest lightly. ÒIÕm afraid IÕm not at liberty to do that, love. Besides, I believe youÕve already taken advantage of my hospitality and put on one very lovely dress.Ó

ÒHospitality?Ó She repeated, arching an eyebrow. ÒI hardly call being stripped of my clothes, forced to don this despicable excuse for a dress, and tied to a chair _hospitality_.Ó

ÒYouÕll soon find that the situation I have you in is quite favorable to the one my employer wished,Ó he stated clearly, his voice arrogant as he eyed her. 

She tensed slightly as he began to approach her, her fear beginning to grow as she caught the gleam in his dark eyes. ÒAnd that would be?Ó

He smiled secretively, running his fingers up along the slit of the gown until they met her hips. ÒI think most would agree that a life of servitude is somewhat better than a horrible death.Ó

Flinching as he continued to trace his cold hand over her thighs, her hope fading fast as his words sunk in, she managed to choke out, ÒWho is trying to kill me?Ó

ÒBecause I like you, I will tell you.Ó He smiled again, his fingers slipping under the fabric of her dress. ÒThe one who wants you dead and broken is Lord Treize Kushrenada. I only plan on fulfilling half of that request.Ó

She struggled against her bindings, trying desperately to get away from his hands. His touch revolted her, and she wanted nothing more than to run from this horrible place. ÒIÕd rather die!Ó

Another amused chuckle escaped his lips and he leaned in, his free hand tightening around her throat. ÒMy maids tell me you are still a virgin, little girl. Is this true?Ó

The tears slipped down her cheeks as she tilted her head back, trying to open up her air passages as his hand half-choked her. She didnÕt want to believe this was happeningÉ she didnÕt want to think about any of this Ð she just wanted to die. A muffled sob was the only response the man received.

ÒThis shall be a fine treat, indeed.Ó He let his hands drop to his sides, stepping back and smirking at her before crossing to the door that he had just come in. He opened it and muttered something to the guards, who then entered the room and proceeded to release Sana from the chair. The man just watched as the bonds were broken and she was flung from the chair and onto the bed. ÒCareful, now,Ó he said, ÒI want to be the one to break her.Ó

Sana struggled against all of this, but they simply overpowered her. She screamed, kicking her legs as hard as she could, using her nails to claw at anything, but she found that her attempts to break free were just hopeless. And once she was on the bed, they pulled the curtains shut, so that the only light was from the chandelier high above. Desperate to stop what had already started, she hit the curtains, only to find that they would not budge. Pure horror ran like ice through her veins and she froze as the reality of the nightmare dawned on her.

He opened the curtain again, just enough to slide in, before it was shut behind him and she was trapped in the veritable prison with him. Moments later she heard the door to the room shut and she knew that she couldnÕt win. 

ÒWho are you?Ó She asked, her voice just as lifeless as her body as he pushed her down against the silk sheets.

He only smirked, holding her wrists above his head loosely. ÒYou may call me Lord Landau. Why?Ó

She spit on him then, yanking one arm from his grasp while she kicked at him with all her might. ÒI want to know what to call you when I kill you!Ó 

Though her sharp movements caught him off guard, she only managed to hit and scratch him a few times before his strength forced her back again and her tears began to fall, her eyes still furious. He bit her shoulder, ripping the skin before licking up the small bit of blood that began to appear, before his lips grazed their way to her mouth. ÒIf you think this is terrible, you just wait, Cillian,Ó he hissed, forcing her to look at him with his free hand. ÒNot even a healer like yourself will be able to put the broken pieces back together.Ó

Duo pressed himself against the wall, listening for the quiet thud of boots against stone. He knew both Keru and Heero would hear the guardsÕ movement much easier than he would, but he couldnÕt help himself. A habit was a habit, after all. But the longer they waited, the more worried he became. He just couldnÕt shake the feeling that something terrible was happening. They had traveled after SanaÕs trail, though the rain made it hard (thankfully the forest canopy helped to catch much of the rain), and they had been fortunate enough to slip into the small, dark palace unnoticed. 

But nowÉ Duo didnÕt understand the bleak feeling, but he did know that they needed to hurry. He whispered this to Keru, who jerked in agreement Ð it was obvious the cat woman wasnÕt exactly expecting a cheerful welcoming, either.

Heero returned not a minute later, fangs bared and dripping with blood, and gave them a nod. The coast was clear. The three of them hurried back around the corner and towards the large door, where two guards lay broken and bleeding from the neck. Duo could still hear the disgusting gurgling sound of one of them choking on his own blood as Keru carefully opened the door.

The sounds that met them were like a slap across the face. He could hear Sana struggling, the rip of fabric, and the sharp, cruel laughter of someone else. Balling his fists in sudden rage, Duo stalked across the room to the bed, the other two right behind him, and yanked open the curtain. 

As Landau whipped around angrily to see who would dare to disturb his pleasures, Sana nearly cried at the sight of Duo. But instead, she kicked even harder and tried her best to bash the copper-haired manÕs head in with the heel of her foot. Her attempts, combined with the inhuman strength of one very scary-looking Heero brought the man off the bed and to the marble floor, where both Heero and Duo set to work on him. Keru, meanwhile, pushed the curtain open and helped the other girl out wordlessly, pulling her to the other side of the room. But Sana would stand for that. Instead, she caught the glint of steel in the cat-womanÕs belt and grabbed at it, before stumbling back over to the other three.

Her tears nearly blinded her as she thrust the knife into his stomach, screaming with rage. ÒYou fucking _bastard!_Ó She stabbed him again and again, before leaving the knife in his gut and began clawing at his eyes. A pair of sturdy arms stopped her, however, and pulled her away from the nearly dead man while Keru stepped forward and reached for LandauÕs neck. The cracking sound of his neck breaking was drowned out by SanaÕs sobs, though those soon died down as Heero took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. 

ÒSana. YouÕre safe, now, thereÕs no need for this.Ó He said quietly, surprisingly gentle. ÒFocus, now. We still need to get out of here.Ó He took off his cloak then and quickly slung it around her shoulders, tying it tightly before bringing her to her feet.

Duo watched in slight fascination, not at all ready for the abrupt change in HeeroÕs behavior. He went from Hunter to Killer to Helper, of all things. But he blinked and remembered what had to be done. Gesturing for Keru, Duo hurried back out into the hall and took a quick glance around before giving her the okay. ÒLetÕs blow this joint,Ó he muttered, flipping his braid over his shoulder.

Keru took her place behind Heero and Sana, the very latter of which had regained herself and was holding her cloak tightly about her body, covering the other flimsy material. The small train of people made their way back through the dark halls, pausing once or twice as Duo took out a number of guards. Though they made it out of the palace safely and started the trek back to the little village, Duo wasnÕt exactly sure how Sana would take this all in. Especially considering the missing person posters and the questions that awaited her once they did get back.

Soaked once again, Quatre only shook his head at the rain Ð he was sure that if the weather kept up the way it was, heÕd turn into a fish. Either way, he was quite used to it, even if it wasnÕt exactly good for him. But he didnÕt have time to worry about his health because at the moment, there were more pointed issues to tackle.

One of them was the absolute feeling of dread that had suddenly washed over him. Though it had passed again a few minutes later, it had scared him to no end Ð what was it that could create such horror in his soul?

The other pressing matter was the search for the woman who was handing out the fliers about Sana. So far they had not found muchÉ it seemed as though many people had seen the lady, but no one knew where she was now. Quatre could only hope that Trowa or Wufei had had more luck than he did. With a heavy heart he returned back to their original inn and waited in the tavern, asking those who came in and out if they had any leads.

Trowa came in some time after him, empty-handed. Though when Wufei entered the tavern, a cloaked woman followed him. 

Hurrying to his feet, Quatre offered his chair to her immediately. ÒPlease, madam, sit and rest.Ó

She gave him a sweet smile, one that looked oddly familiar, and took the seat offered, adjusting her cloak and dress as she sat. ÒYouÕre too kind, sir.Ó

Wufei dropped his own cloak over a chair and kicked it back against the wall, his body language not quite as polite as the woman was being. ÒLetÕs just get to the questions.Ó

Trowa glanced at him briefly, sitting back into his chair as he tried to make sense of the ninjaÕs sudden bad mood. Had it been the old woman and her prophesy? It certainly seemed to be that, but so many things had happenedÉ it was too hard to keep track of it all. He resigned himself to watching for now, gathering as much as he could before heÕd try to figure it out again.

QuatreÕs smile faltered for a second but he regained his princely composure and sat down next to the woman, clasping his hands on the table in front of him. ÒCan I ask your name, madam?Ó

ÒOf course. I am Cyanai Viskare. I believe you have some information concerning my fliers?Ó The woman looked hopeful, and Quatre hated to be vague because of this. But there were things he had to know.

ÒI hope so. But there are some things I should ask you first. Her name is Meiran, correct?Ó

At this Wufei glanced up, but no noise was made. Trowa noted it, and waited.

Cyanai paused, nodding slowly. ÒYesÉ though I doubt she would answer to it. It is her first given name, but not many people know this. IÕm afraid,Ó she hesitated, Òmy search has to beÉ rather secretÉÓ

Now all three men stilled, and Quatre managed to ask, ÒÉHer nameÉ Would it be Sana?Ó

She blinked at him, before standing in excitement. ÒYou know my daughter? Where is she?!Ó

ÒSheÕs your daughter?Ó Quatre repeated, immediately realizing why he thought she looked familiar. He was seeing Sana in her Ð the same pitch black hair, the same eyes and smileÉ 

Trowa was the first to bring a little bit of order back to the small group, and he did by stating quietly, ÒSana is safe, do not worry. But there are things we have to ask you, maÕam, and we would all appreciate your assistance.Ó

She paused before sitting again, bowing her head in understanding. ÒYes, of course. I will do my best to answer your questions.Ó

Except at that moment the door to the tavern opened and Duo led in the other group, huddled together for warmth and for safety. And in the middle was Sana.

ÒShit.Ó Wufei stood first, before Trowa and Quatre did the same. CyanaiÕs hand flew to her mouth and she sat frozen in her chair with shock.

The chestnut-haired man gave them all a tired smile and a mock salute. ÒLooks like we both did rather well.Ó

Sana just stared at her mother, before looking to Quatre. She was shivering with cold, her hair matted against her forehead, cloak soaked through and through. Under that the glowing white dress was limp, having long lost itÕs prestige, having been covered in blood and ripped in numerous places, but thankfully the cloak covered it entirely. 

Her mother stood, before hurrying to her daughter, throwing her arms around her. Ò_Sana! _YouÕre alright! Oh, my little Meiran, IÕve missed you so! IÕm so glad youÕre alright!Ó

Somehow she managed to return the hug. ÒÉyes, IÕm alright. More or less,Ó she murmured, faltering slightly. The slip was caught by all of them, but her mother just ignored it while the others fought concern and kept quiet. 

Heero stepped forward then, touching CyanaiÕs shoulder gently. ÒI donÕt mean to interrupt, but we should all clean up first, and get some rest.Ó

Duo glanced to the vampire briefly, recognizing that same strange gentleness in his tone, before agreeing with him. ÒYeah, we all should change into something a little drier, and then meet back down here for a bite to eat and a few rousing stories,Ó He suggested, and all of them but Cyanai understood what he meant.

Keru took Sana then and the two of them went upstairs, followed by Heero to make sure that no one tried to bother her. Duo, meanwhile, gestured for Quatre to follow him so he could fill the blonde in on the happenings of the night. Which left Trowa, Wufei, and Cyanai, the latter of whom decided right away to check in with the inn owner about renting out a room. Trowa knew there was no better chance, and so as Wufei made a move to go upstairs, Trowa followed him. 

ÒWufei.Ó

The ninja turned and looked at him expectantly, though the faint glimmer in his eyes betrayed the frustration in them. ÒWhat?Ó

ÒWhy is Meiran so important to you?Ó He asked quietly, his own eyes still searching. 

Wufei narrowed his eyes for a moment, before turning away and heading back up the stairs. ÒThe prophesy.Ó

_To be continued, g-dawgsÉ_


	12. The clouds are beginning to clear

_Disclaimers: _Yeah yeah, donÕt own it, donÕt make money from it, and thatÕs why I cry myself to sleep every night. But itÕs okay, really. Keep rubbing it in.

Jou-chanÕs Notes: Well guys, I think first I should explain to you why those stupid circle things are replacing the quotation marks and stuff. Honestly, I donÕt really know why, but IÕm sure it has to do with the fact that the last few chapters have been written on a new computer. We went from a PC to a Mac, and as you know, theyÕre a little different from each other. IÕve still got word and all that, but when the stories get uploaded, this crap happens. IÕm trying to figure out how to change this, without losing all my bold, italic (etc) capabilities, and so far nothing has come up. And as some of you know, I am not very good with computers (and I often dream about burning them), and it doesnÕt exactly help the situation. So please bare with me while I try to get this fixed, and if any of you think you can help, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I will love you forever, and then some.

Also! Just warning you guys (once again), things will and are beginning to fit the rating. And that rating has the potential to go up as soon as Duo stops being a baby (IÕve got a team working on him, donÕt worry guys). IÕm not expecting too much from our favorite Prince and his current love interest as far as _that _goes, but IÕm definitely a closet romantic so expect the mushy, pink, disgusting stuff. As far as everybody else goesÉ *insert evil, evil author laughter* ÉyouÕll see.

_Currently Listening To: _All-American Rejects. =^___^=

_Currently Thinking: _I honestly love this story, even though itÕs mine. I wish I knew what happens next. 

And it is with those last (but brand new and shiny!) sections that I give you:

New Moon Chapter 12: the clouds are beginning to clear 

Sana sat limply in the chair as Keru went to fix her a bath, her eyes wandering around the little inn room blearily. She reminded herself to thank Keru later for all the wonderful help as she tiredly tugged off the cloak and stood, folding in nicely. Even when she was on the brink of an emotional breakdown, she still had to be neat. Shaking her head wryly, she just set the cloak on the chair before looking down at herself, her nose wrinkling up in disgust. The thing was covered with blood and soil, torn in so many places that she wondered how it was still holding together. She sighed loudly, forcing the urge to curl up into a ball and sob back down her throat, and started towards the bedside table with the intent of looking for some candles but voices at her door made her pause. 

They were muffled and she couldnÕt exactly make out what they were saying, but she could recognize who they were Ð Heero and Wufei. She began to wonder about that, too, before she decided that she didnÕt really care. There was just too much to think about and at the moment, she was much too exhausted to bother with anything of the sort. 

Keru walked back out then, her tail swooshing back and forth lightly. ÒBathÕs ready. WaterÕs pretty hot, but somehow I donÕt think youÕd mind.Ó 

Sana could only smile. ÒThank you. For everything.Ó

ÒSure. Just get out of that _thing_ youÕre wearing - the sooner the better. Then we can burn it. IÕm sure thatÕs something youÕll look forward to as well,Ó the cat woman replied easily.

ÒYou can only imagine,Ó Sana nodded, smiling despite herself. She quickly gave Keru an unexpected hug before disappearing into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Then came the important art of stripping herself of anything that reminded her of Landau, both the mental and the physical. The dress ended up becoming a heap in the corner as she carefully took a look at herself in the mirror. The bite mark on her shoulder was still raw, and she winced as she touched it. Familiar feelings of hatred bubbled to the surface as she brushed her fingers across a few more of her battle scars, before she shook her head free of it and climbed into the large, steel tub. There wasnÕt much to worry about there, being a Cillian and all. The cuts would just heal themselves with a little bit of rest time. But the memories behind them all still remained. And she wanted them gone. She was ready to wash it all away.

Keru shook her head a little before making her way to the door to the room, listening to the quiet conversation on the other side before opening it. She had heard muffled talking as soon as it had started, but waited for Sana to disappear into the bathroom before deciding to check it out. She raised an eyebrow at the two men outside it before inquiring, ÒWhat are you chattering about out here?Ó

Wufei scowled, crossing his arms defiantly. She had expected nothing less from him, really. ÒWeÕre not _chattering_, cat.Ó He paused, his eyes flickering to the room behind her briefly before continuing hesitantly, ÒÉIs she-Ò

ÒTaking a bath. Would you like to see?Ó Keru purred, stepping to the side as though she would let him take up the offer.

The ninja rolled his eyes, a disgusted little scowl forming on his lips before he started towards the next room, his room, not even bothering to give her any sort of verbal reply.

Heero just smirked, watching him leave before glancing to Keru. ÒSo sheÕs alright?Ó He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

ÒWeÕll see soon enough,Ó she replied with a shrug, flicking her tail back and forth. ÒShe seemed normal enough. I think sheÕll be fine.Ó

Heero just nodded, and followed her back in the room, lifting the cloak from the chair so he could sit there. ÒIÕll just stay and keep a look out. Besides, I think weÕve all got some thinking to do..Ó He muttered, and his eyes seemed to turn a shade darker.

Keru smirked a little before settling on the bed, intent on preening herself for a bit. That was an obvious remark, she thought, for if they were going to sit down and speak about themselves as they had previously planned, she was sure that some unwanted secrets were going to be spilt out into the open. It was best to work around them now, and she knew thatÕs what Heero was referring to. _Humans, _she thought with amusement.

Duo had never seen the blonde angrier, and it kind of startled him. Raising his hands in defense, trying to soothe the suddenly enraged Prince, he quickly said, ÒSheÕs alright, Quatre, nothing happened. We got there before he could do any real damage. _SheÕs alright_.Ó 

Stalking around the room, his fists balled in anger, Quatre fought the urge to scream in rage. Anything Duo said to try and keep him calm went completely unnoticed, straight through one ear and out the other. ÒHe did _what _to her?!Ó He yelled, little droplets of blood beginning to seep through his knuckles from where his fingernails dug into his palms.

The chestnut-haired man could only stare in amazement at the sudden, violent change in the otherÕs attitude. There was something very unnerving about his eyes that instantly reminded him of the incident with the Lua Stone, and the look of absolute anger in them didnÕt help. It was just not something heÕd expected at all, and as he eyed the thin trickle of blood, he immediately swore. ÒFuck, man, chill out or youÕre gonna hurt yourself,Ó he said quietly, putting his hands on the younger manÕs shoulders.

QuatreÕs head hung on his chest, his hair drooping in his eyes as he seethed. Slowly he relaxed his hands, but the glint was still in those baby blues as he managed to keep his voice at a normal octave. ÒIÕm perfectly fine,Ó he said through his teeth, raising his eyes to DuoÕs. ÒIs that all that happened?Ó

Duo was wary as he replied, ÒYeah. We just grabbed her and left. I think Keru set fire to the place, but I really donÕt know. Which brings us to the present.Ó He paused, carefully watching the other man before continuing hesitantly, ÒSheÕs alright, Quatre. Just ask Heero or Keru. Hell, you could go check on her, if you want. SheÕs a little shaken up, but sheÕs strong. You know that.Ó

The blonde sighed, pushing his bangs to the side as he reached for a towel to wipe his hands with. Ò..Yes, youÕre right. IÕm sorry. I justÉ _hate _it when people get hurtÉÓ

Patting him on the back lightly, Duo shrugged. ÒHey, no problem. LetÕs go down stairs and check on the others, see whatÕs up. DonÕt forget, SanaÕs mom will be waiting for us.Ó

Quatre nodded, examining his hands with distaste before shaking his head and setting the towel aside. ÒOf course. We should make sure she is comfortable,Ó he agreed, standing and fixing his tunic before starting towards the door, checking once to make sure Duo was following him.

Duo grinned at him, though inside his mind was like a clock Ð what the hell was _that? _HeÕd never thought the Prince to be much of a fighter Ð strictly an ambassador, using words instead of swords Ð but the look in his eyes was one that sent a chill down his spine. They were almost glowing, just like they had been when both he and Sana went into that trance. He stared grimly at the blondeÕs hair as he followed him back downstairs, now very much doubting those earlier notions. That wasnÕt the look of a pacifist; not even close to it. _This is seriously fucked up, _he thought as he chewed on the end of his braid, _Something is going on here and weÕre all missing it._

Wufei stared at the flickering candle flame before him, his expression aloof as his mind focused on things that werenÕt quite in front of him. His thoughts kept returning to the old woman and those fatal words of hers from so long ago. He had previously thought that heÕs somehow escaped that life. The age for marriage in his clan had come and gone and left him alone and still dependent on himself, and thatÕs how he wanted it to stay. But for her to turn up again with those same, cryptic messages and that queer look in her eyes was just too much, especially with that name floating around. _Meiran_.

He groaned, rubbing his face as he fell backwards onto the mattress, remembering vividly a night in his past that still haunted his sleepÉ

_Sweat poured down his forehead and his muscles screamed at him, begging for rest, for a break, for anything but the pain that now tortured them. But he wouldnÕt let up, not even an inch. That wasnÕt his nature, and he knew that if he wanted to pass the examination, he would need all the strength he could muster. _

_ ÒWufei, you havenÕt changed yet?Ó_

_ The sound of the hard voice made the youth blink and he jumped up gracefully, his black eyebrows arching upward as he watched his grandfather walk slowly towards him. ÒChanged?Ó_

_ ÒYes, boy! DidnÕt you hear me? Go put on your robes for the ceremony. The prophet has just arrived and has generously agreed to give one member of each name a reading. The Chang family as unanimously chosen you.Ó_

_ Wufei twitched, but obeyed. A divination? Nothing sounded more ridiculous. He knew what his future would be and he had no need of some old, crony woman to help spell it out for him. But she was greatly revered, and his family had chosen him, and so protocol told the dark-haired youth to just go along with it. He quickly pulled his robes on before joining his grandfather once again, along with his aunts and uncles and cousins and other vague relatives, and started towards the place where the ceremony would be held, the Garden of Moon Gates. _

_ He waited as patiently as he could, outside the ancient pavilion where the old woman was taking only the chosen family members, one at a time. It helped that he loved the garden. It was a beautiful place, full of lush plants and sweet smelling flowers, designed to perfection by his own clansmen a long time ago. It was said that the place held some magic to it, a sort of gift from an ancient race that had once took refuge briefly with his clan. In exchange, they helped to build the garden and had sprinkled a little of their own ancestry into it. But it was a very old story, and like many of the others, Wufei saw it as only that. Occasionally the scholar part of him called out, but he already had his dreams: to be a ninja, just as his father had been. _

_ ÒChang Wufei, the prophet waits for you inside,Ó said the chosen one before him, a man a few years older than he. All those chosen were men, but no one objected to it. The women already knew their place, and those his age should have already been married and looking forward to the growth of their clan._

_ He stood, nodding at the man, before taking the small trail up to the pavilion. The door slid open easily and the smell of lavender came floating back to him as he stepped into the room. The prophet smiled at him, her eyes glinting with delight as soon as they set upon him._

_ ÒI have been waiting for you, young one.Ó_

_ He bowed before taking his place at the mat in front of her, his expression solemn. ÒI am sorry to keep you waiting.Ó_

_ ÒOh no, you misunderstand,Ó she laughed, a raspy, withering one. ÒI have been waiting much longer than that; since before I came here. I have seen your future many times before, for many years, and it has never wavered.Ó_

_ Wufei tried not to let his excitement show, but he did lean forward some, an eyebrow rising some. ÒWhat is my future, prophet?Ó_

_ She just smirked at him, before turning towards the small fire that sat to her left. A bowl rested by her knee, and she took a hand full of the sand in it, before letting slide through her fingers into the fire. The flames seemed to die down, before suddenly roaring back to life, giving off intense heat and color as they danced violently before her. ÒYes,Ó she agreed, ÒAfter seventeen years, it is still the same. I see a journey, one full of many terrible things and a strange, dangerous blue light. But there is a silver lining throughout your strife, a pillar of strength that rivals even your own. She is a beautiful woman, dark but intimate. She is your wife. She is your Meiran.Ó_

_ ÒNo. That time has passed, and I am to be a ninja, of the Sixth Order of Draconia. I canÕt marry. Your prophesy is wrong,Ó he said, his eyes stubborn._

_ Hers only shown with laughter. ÒMy prophesies have never been wrong, Chang Wufei. You will find in your own time the truth in my words. You will make her your wife, and yours alone.Ó_

_ Wufei stood up angrily, throwing his hand out to the side. ÒNever! ThatÕs ridiculous! Do you hear me?!Ó _

_ Her smile waned, but didnÕt disappear entirely. ÒHear _me, _young one. You can try to fight it, but fate will run its course whether you want it to or not. And in the end, you will not be there alone.Ó_

_ He shook his head, refusing to believe it, to accept it, and started back out the door. ÒNo! No, youÕre wrong, old woman. YouÕre wrong.Ó_

A knock at WufeiÕs door abruptly woke him from his dozing state and he jolted up, rubbing his eyes as he sighed. More knocks sent him to his feet and he threw open the door, giving the intruder an annoyed look. ÒWhat?Ó

Keru smirked at him, arching an eyebrow. ÒWeÕre gathering downstairs,Ó she said, before routinely going to the next door and doing the same.

He just rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath as he grabbed his white jacket and slung it over his shoulder before starting down the hall. Ahead of him he saw Sana step out of her room, her dark hair damp, recently washed, and in someone elseÕs tunic. She was rubbing her shoulders, shuddering lightly before turning to pull her door shut. As he passed, he dropped the jacket over her shoulder, and continued down the hall to the stairs.

She turned, touching the white fabric briefly as her eyes followed him down, before hesitantly pulling the jacket on over her tunic. It was a tad big on her, but it was warm, and she was grateful. Surprised, but grateful. She glanced behind to see Keru speaking to Trowa, Duo just appearing from his room. A small sigh escaped her lips and she struggled to keep her breathing regular as she started down the stairs, mentally preparing herself for the questions that were sure to come. Especially with her mother here. She closed her eyes for a moment, pausing on the stairs, before she felt someone touch her arm. 

ÒYou feeling alright?Ó Quatre asked, squeezing her arm gently, his eyes concerned.

Sana gave him a soft smile, nodding. ÒYes, thank you. And yourself?Ó

Quatre raised his eyebrows, giving her a slight look before complying. ÒIÕm alright. Upset, but just happy that youÕre safe. I see somebody is warming up to you,Ó he added, picking at the jacket with a little smile.

She shook her head, ÒI donÕt think so, Quatre. Everyone just feels sorry for me because I was nearly raped.Ó

The blonde paled a little, but managed to keep his smile on. ÒNot everyone. You know that.Ó

Sana kissed his cheek, giving him a quick hug. ÒYouÕre a wonderful person, Quatre. Thank you for putting up with me.Ó

He took her arm, sighing deeply. ÒDonÕt say that, Sana. YouÕre just as much a part of this as I am now. We need you as much as you need us.Ó At this last part he gave her a stern, almost fatherly look, before continuing, ÒDonÕt forget that.Ó

She smiled a little, before dropping her head again, thinking about that as they headed towards the table where Heero and Wufei had gathered, already armed with warm mugs and emotionless masks.

Heero looked up as he heard them coming and eyed the jacket with raised eyebrows before going back to the warm liquid in front of him, smirking slightly.

Trowa came down soon after, followed by Keru, and then Duo and SanaÕs mother, Cyanai. They all took a seat at the table, receiving their own mugs of liquidity goodness, speaking good-naturedly about stupid things before Heero finally put them on track.

ÒWeÕre down here for a reason. Granted, our goal is the same, but it seems that we keep getting caught up in our own secrets and thatÕs slowing us down. I say we get rid of them now,Ó he muttered, drumming his fingers on his mug rhythmically. ÒI am a vampire.Ó

The only person who was really surprised was Cyanai, but she was more interested in him now, rather than disgusted or afraid. 

Sana only smiled briefly before sitting up, setting her mug on the table in front of her. ÒI ran away from home because of a marriage that my father set up for me. I refuse to be forced into something I donÕt want just because of my sex. I am a woman but that doesnÕt make me weaker than any of you, physically or mentally. That old prophet called me selfish, and maybe I am,Ó she paused, glancing to her mother, ÒBut IÕm not ever going home again.Ó 

Cyanai just smiled. ÒNeither am I, dear. Your father has disowned you, and in doing so, has lost himself the perfect trophy wife.Ó

Sana thought about that, raising her eyebrows in slight surprise. ÒOh.Ó

ÒWhat about the name Meiran?Ó Trowa asked, setting his chin in his hand lightly.

Wufei stiffened.

She paused. ÒMeiran is my real name, given to me at birth by my conniving mother. Sana is the name my father wanted, and he believed itÕs what mother called me as well.Ó

Cyanai just smiled in amusement.

ÒWell that straightens that out. I am an assassin, IÕve got a few things in the black market across Traun, but for the most part I just get paid to kill people. I was going to go after Keru, but then I ran into Quatre, and you know what happened next.Ó Duo just stretched, grinning at the cat woman as she blinked at him.

ÒMe?Ó She purred, her voice completely giving away the fake innocence.

ÒCat burglar. Real funny,Ó he winked, blowing her a kiss.

She just shrugged. ÒItÕs a living.Ó

ÒSo what about you, Trowa? Any deep, dark secrets?Ó Duo asked, grinning.

ÒI work a family inn with my sister, and I have a lot of strange friends,Ó he replied, half serious as he regarded his drink pensively. There were a few chuckles and wry glances but most stopped when he glanced up again, at Wufei. ÒSo what about this prophecy of yours?Ó

ÒYeah, that old lady seems to like you, man,Ó Duo said with a grin.

Wufei stared at him before glancing to the table, sighing. ÒWhen I was seventeen, the prophet visited and took one member from each family for a reading, of sorts. It was more of an honor, than anything, and she was very well respected. I was chosen from my family, but when it was my turn she said sheÕd been seeing my future since I was born. I was to become a ninja, but she insisted that I would take a wife. I was well past the age of marriage, and it is against clan rules that a ninja should have such attachments. But she also knew about this little adventure of ours,Ó he muttered, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair, ÒAnd something about blue light.Ó

ÒWeÕve had our share of that, havenÕt we?Ó Duo agreed, chewing on the tip of his braid thoughtfully.

Trowa also looked thoughtful, but his eyes were still on Wufei, and his mind was still on his prophecy. He wondered whether or not the others had caught on to his abhorrence to the name Meiran, but Trowa was beginning to understand. And though he wanted him to make the connection, he knew Wufei had good reason to leave that part out. Which was enough evidence for the brown-haired man. 

Sana _was _Meiran.

Quatre sighed, rubbing his forehead. ÒI wish I knew more about that, and about the Lua Stone, and everything behind it. I feel like if I understood it all, it would be the key to saving Relena. But thereÕs still a lot missing, and I donÕt know where to begin,Ó he stated quietly, ÒAnd it looks as though I might be disowned if I return home empty handed.Ó

ÒWhat does Relena look like?Ó Cyanai asked, leaning forward. ÒIÕve done quite a bit of traveling as of late. Perhaps I might have seen her, or I can at least help you ask around.Ó

The blonde smiled at her and bowed his head. ÒThank you very much, madam. I believe I have a picture with my things that would suit your endeavors.Ó

She smiled at him and brushed her dark hair back over her shoulder. ÒItÕs the least I can do for you all, after youÕve been helping my daughter.Ó

Sana sunk into her chair awkwardly, pulling the jacket up around her face. ÒYeah.Ó

Quatre just smiled. ÒYes, well, I think we all need to rest now. ItÕs been quite a busy day, and weÕve got a lot of searching to do in the morning. Early morning, I think,Ó he said, rising out of his chair slowly.

Keru did the same, giving them all a little wave as she stifled her yawns with her other hand. ÒI completely agree. Goodnight, sweet dreams,Ó she murmured, her tail flicking lazily as she started back up the stairs.

Duo just shook his head, chuckling lightly, before following her up, as did many of the others. Sana hung back, waiting for her mother, and the two of them spoke of her father as they started towards their rooms.

Trowa caught up to Wufei, for the second time that night, and glanced towards Sana before following him up the stairs. ÒItÕs her, isnÕt it?Ó

He didnÕt say anything at first, and instead just stretched his arms over his head, before pausing in front of his doorway. ÒI donÕt have a wife, and I will never have one, certainly not her,Ó he finally muttered, making eye contact with the brown-haired man before ducking into his room.

Trowa ruffled his hair before heading towards his own, shaking his head. It seemed as though everything had been said, though he knew, as he closed the door to his own room, that people would always have their secrets.

An hour later, everyone had retired to their rooms for the night, though were a lot of wide-eyed persons wandering around, either unable to sleep or unwilling to. Sana was one of them, and she cursed herself for it as she paced around her little room, pulling anxiously on her hair. She had a lot on her mind, of course, and it kept bouncing from one subject to the other and then back to the first again so fast she could hardly keep track. Thoughts about her mother, her father, about Quatre and his words, about the Lua Stone and the blue lights, about the Princess Relena, and about her kidnappers. And somewhere in between it all she realized that she still had WufeiÕs jacket. Cursing her stupidity, vaguely wondering if he might be sleeping, she quickly shrugged it off and padded softly down the hall to where his room was.

It took a moment for him to answer, and she even thought about just going back to her room and waiting till the morning, but he opened the door then, looking slightly annoyed. ÒWhat?Ó

She blinked, before jerking his jacket forward, blushing slightly. ÒIÕm sorry, I should have waited until morning. I forgot your jacket,Ó she murmured, averting her eyes. 

He just raised an eyebrow, scratching his head before taking the white jacket.

She paused again, before adding quietly, ÒThank you. I was a little surprised, but it was very appreciated, andÉÓ she thought she might as well try for it, ÒWill you teach me how to fight?Ó

Smirking a bit, he just gave her a little wave. ÒGo to bed.Ó

Sana sighed, turning back down the hall back to her room, muttering idly to herself as she ran her fingers through her hair. As she closed her door behind her, she missed seeing a different figure come out of his room and start down the hall quietly towards another room. He paused, listening against the door before opening it slowly and slipping in. The other man in the room obviously wasnÕt expecting company and he jumped when he saw the other, before letting out a string of curses.

ÒDamn it, Heero, what the hell are you doing?Ó

The vampire just grinned smugly, folding his hands in front of him, just as nice as a schoolboy. ÒIÕm about to fuck your brains out. What are you doing?Ó

Duo groaned, leaning back in his chair where he was polishing his mini-scythes. Throwing the rag at the blue-eyed devil before him, he rubbed his neck self-consciously before setting the silver weapon aside. ÒJerk.Ó

_To be continued._


	13. The Drums Of War

_Disclaimers: _Gundam Wing is not my property, and I do not make any money from it. I only get a sick pleasure from writing bizarre fan fiction involving the G-boys doing and saying things they'd probably never really do or say.

Jou-chan's Notes: So it's kind of been a while, hasn't it? It's amazing, I know, but I've actually updated. What really amazes me, though, is that people have actually kept up with this after all this time. You guys are crazy.

Please note the change in the rating of this story. Yes, folks, we here at New Moon, Incorporated have kicked it up a notch, so I **do **hope you enjoy. Keep in mind, I'm going according to movie ratings Ð what you see in rated R movies can be read here.

On an entirely different note, I think it's insane how much this story has evolved. If you look at the first couple chapters and compare to the last couple chapters, the difference is ridiculous. It makes me want to go back and rewrite them all. Maybe after I finish the story, I will. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens.

**Chapter 13: _the drums of war_**

I'm already asking, down on my knees 

_I'm already begging, begging you please_

_Can you teach me how to fly?_

_Can't you see I'm scared to die?_

_And I've only just begun to learn to crawl_

_Can you teach me how to fight?_

_You can keep me up all night_

_Will you be there on the ground if I should fall_

_Fall for you_

****

Despite the man's apparent need for haste, the three of them didn't make it very far, Relena observed quietly from the back of her horse. Zechs, the blonde man who now traveled with herself and Noin, had put her there as soon as they had left the little inn, and she had not had the chance to move from that spot since. Her horse was fairly young, she decided, and not very well trained because it kept roaming from left to right as it followed Noin's mare obediently. And it only followed the horse in front because of the robe that was tied to its harness. Otherwise, Relena was sure the clumsy animal would have led her far astray by now. Nevertheless, she'd grown quite fond of the thing. It proved to be much warmer than her other two "companions.

Directly ahead of her, Noin led the way. Behind her, Zechs took up the end. Relena glanced over her shoulder at him once again, stealing another quick, inquiring glance. He fascinated her. He was beautiful, in the sense of a sculpture or painting or some other sort of artwork in which any thing could take appreciation of. But this living, breathing piece of art was dark and brooding, and, Relena began to suspect, incredibly sad. He seldom said a word, and kept to himself in the back, his ice-like eyes stuck on the road. She wondered sometimes whether he was really with them on that little, worn down path, or maybe if his head was someplace else. She thought about where that place might be.

His gaze lifted and suddenly Relena found herself staring directly into his soul, and a wave of sadness washed over her. Though his expression did not change, she knew instantly that he too felt something; it was in his eyes. A spark flared to life, flickering madly. The feeling became so strong that Relena couldn't stand it any longer. Tearing her own eyes away, she pulled her cloak a little tighter around her small body, squeezing her eyes shut. But the emotions didn't vanish as quickly.

Who _was_ he?

"Stop pulling my goddamned hair," Duo hissed, jerking his arm to his head angrily to massage his scalp. That had to be the fifth time in ten minutes the prussian-eyed vampire had gotten a good fistful of it and pulled as hard as he could. That's what it had felt like to him, anyway.

"Who's fault is that?" Heero countered, his voice calm and low compared to Duo's. "It's ridiculously long anyway.

The assassin turned just enough to give the other man a good, dark glare before the mentioned other smacked his head none-too-gently. "Hey, touch my hair and die, buddy," he growled, becoming increasingly angry with his spot on the bottom of the food chain. He resented Heero at the moment, no matter how good the other man made him feel. The fact that he periodically did produce those feelings in him, however, was more than enough evidence for Duo to become a little concerned with what was evolving between them. He didn't and wouldn't make it into anything it wasn't, but he couldn't ignore his gut instinct. And that was usually right. And right now, what his gut was telling him wasn't something that Duo was prepared to take kindly to. He'd rather not think about it at all, in fact, so as he felt Heero's fingers slip down his spine to the curve of his buttocks, gently stroking, he did his best to concentrate solely on that. And Heero made that really, _really_ easy to do.

"I hope you weren't planning on sleeping tonight," Heero murmured, a note of amusement to his voice as he pushed one of his fingers against Duo's opening, teasing.

Duo's lip curled and he growled slightly, though the immediate probe earned shut him up quickly. But the vampire knew what he was doing, and the pain soon turned to pleasure as another finger was added. Something inside Duo told him that he couldn't let this happen; he couldn't let it go this far. And as he felt the other man's hands on his ass, the bed shifting slightly under his weight as he changed positions, he knew that things would never be the same. But no matter how many times he told himself this, nothing short of a catastrophic event could stop this ball from rolling. What scared him most, however, was the fact that he just didn't want it to stop. And he was really, really scared.

Groaning as the incessant squeaking next door continued, Wufei slammed his pillow over his head again, wishing to any gods listening for glorious mercy in the form of sleep or, at this point, death. It was bad enough that he just kept tossing and turning all night, and the fact that he had to listen to the two of them do things he'd really rather not think about was absolutely horrifying. He began to wonder why he attracted such bad luck as he pushed himself up slowly, onto his knees. He wondered if he wasn't the only insomniac in the group, and thought about wandering around the inn before dismissing the idea. It was much too late, and really, he should just try to get as much rest as possible.

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed loudly, ruffling the black locks before falling on his back, staring at the ceiling. If he couldn't sleep, he would think. And there was plenty of that to do now.

_ He could see the forest all around him, smell the fresh green scent and feel the cool wind as it shifted gently through his hair. It was a good feeling, though generally speaking he wasn't getting the same vibe everywhere else. Because Quatre knew, somewhere out there, Relena was lost and in need of his help. And he wanted nothing more than to find her and bring her back home. Recent events, however, had made the situation much more difficult than it should have been. He wished the same angel he had seen before would come back to him and show him the way, but so far he'd had no such luck. And the stone was proving to be less than effective at doing anything besides hanging decoratively around his neck. It hung there now, sparkling in the dim forest light, and Quatre fingered it pensively as his eyes scanned the trees. Under him, his horse pawed the ground anxiously Ð he could feel the suspense, too. There was something in the air. Something was about to happen. He just didn't know what._

_ A sudden burst of wind from his right made Quatre lurch around in his saddle, eyes wide as an overwhelming feeling of despair washed over him. He could feel the fear, the confusion, and it broke his heart. Something about it, though, was so familiar. Gently tugging on the reins, Quatre turned the horse to the right, ready to ride after whatever being produced such a melancholy echo of emotion. Wherever and whatever he was moving towards, the blonde knew that it just felt right _

Quatre awoke with a start, tiny sweat beads rolling down his forehead, matting his hair. It took a quick minute for him to sort out his thoughts, but even quicker for him to realize that it was time to leave. Because if his hunch was right, they just might find Relena.

He hurriedly pushed back his covers and jumped out of the bed, grabbing his robe as he ran out the door and down the hall. The comfortable silence of the night was broken as he uncharacteristically cursed up a storm, skidding on the smooth wood into the desired door none too gently. It wasn't quite how he wanted to wake up the other man, but it would have to do. Not a second later the door lurched open and a bleary eyed Trowa stood staring at him, half naked and obviously confused.

"QuatreÉ what the hell?

Trying his best to ignore the inn owner's current state of undress, Quatre hurried him out of the room as his voice rushed on excitedly. "We need to leave now! I know where she is, I just know it! But we don't have much time, so we have to hurry and wake the others!

Trowa just nodded dumbly for a moment, before shaking his head and moving to knock on Keru's door as Quatre went to Wufei's across the hall. Keru answered after a long moment, looking thoroughly unhappy.

"What's all this about?" She stifled a yawn, eyeing the man before her suspiciously.

The brown-haired man sighed, shrugging. "We're leaving. Grab your things quickly, I guess.

She just stood there and blinked at him before turning away, muttering something about insufferable humans and beauty sleep as she went to pack up, her tail twitching incessantly.

Quatre got about the same response from Wufei, only a tad more surly. He didn't seem pleased, but the blonde got the feeling that the ninja wasn't all that surprised. That, or maybe he was just too tired to care. Whatever it was, Wufei had complied and was now gathering up his things as Quatre moved on to Sana's door.

She opened it only an inch at first, peeking out behind it like a curious little girl before pulling it open completely, barefoot and in her nightgown. Her hair was in disarray, but she looked more charming than anything. "Is something wrong?" She asked, noticing that behind him, the others were milling about in activity.

"We're leaving. Please hurry, SanaÉ er, Meiran," Quatre pleaded, grinning sheepishly, before leaving her doorway and going to pack his own things.

Sana just blinked, leaning forward to see who else was up before sighing loudly and turning to do the same. It didn't take long at all for any of them to change and pack their things, for they had all agreed earlier that day that they would not settle in anywhere. She was surprised to find, however, that she was one of the first ones finished. Setting her travel bag down by her door, she sat against the wall and waited for the others, closing her eyes in the time being. It had to have been some ungodly hour of the morning, and though she had no idea why Quatre felt the need to pull them out of their nice, warm beds, she trusted his judgment and just hoped that everything was all right. For now, at least.

Duo trudged up next to her, before dropping down and leaning his head on her shoulder, his bag falling somewhere nearby. "Good night," he muttered, snuggling up, holding her arm as if it was a teddy bear.

"Good morning." She just raised an eyebrow but didn't bother moving. Instead, she sighed again and glanced to her left as she heard another door open. Trowa appeared from his doorway, looking a little weary himself. He noticed her and Duo and smirked a little before coming to join them, holding his bag over his shoulder.

"I guess some of us aren't exactly up yet?

Duo opened one bleary eye and flicked him off before going back to his previous position, earning a slight glare from Sana as he began moving onto her lap as well.

"Don't get too cozy there, buddy," she warned, "We're going to be leaving soon and I don't think you'll find your horse to be as comfortable as I am.

"Oh, pish-posh. I'll just follow you around all day." He nuzzled her arm for emphasis, which got a chuckle from Trowa and another sigh from Sana.

"Some things will never change," Trowa murmured, setting his bag down as he waited with them for the others. A few minutes of silence went by before he glanced at the dark-haired female in front of him, his mind wandering back to what Wufei had said much earlier that night. "What do you want to be called now?" He asked gently, leaning against the opposite wall as he played with his bangs.

She blinked, looking a bit surprised before her eyes dropped to the ground, obviously thinking about it. Something flashed across her features then, although he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. But she made eye contact once again and said quietly but firmly, "Meiran.

They rode fast through the early hours of the morning, drops of dew clinging to their cloaks as they parted the mist that had long since settled on the town. The only noise made was the quiet beat of hooves as the horses rode on, rested and ready and strangely anxious, as though they too felt the electricity in the air. On the back of his mount, Quatre leaned forward in excitement, his mind reeling with the possibilities that lay before them. Around his neck, the Lua Stone had a strange sheen to it, almost glowing in the frosty air, and he took this as a good sign. It pulsed unnaturally with his own heartbeat, and the blonde felt as though his blood was alive and surging through his veins. No matter how improbable it seemed, no matter the doubts of the others following behind him, Quatre kept looking forward, a subtle smile playing on his lips. He knew he was right.

Meanwhile, the others were lost in their own little worlds as they kept up the pace behind the determined blonde. Meiran, for one, was thinking about her mother. She had been surprised to see her, even more to hear of her father and his decision. But there was something different about her since Meiran had left her father's manor just a few weeks prior. Cyanai was stronger Ð and much more beautiful. It seemed as though the place had been a prison for both of them, and now that they were away from it, they were finally free to do what they wanted, whenever they wanted. They were just free, and Meiran was beginning to realize that that however insignificant it may seem to someone else, the idea of freedom was more important to her than life itself. And she had the feeling that it was a trait that both she and her mother shared. What was the point of living when you couldn't do it yourself?

There were other things, too. Her mother's smile was wonderful, it always had been. But now there was something in it that intrigued Meiran. As though Cyanai knew something that her daughter didn't. There was mystery all about her, and as much as Meiran had tried to figure it out, she just didn't have the time; she wasn't sure if she ever would, really, but that was besides the point. When Meiran went to give her last goodbye to her mother before they left, she found Cyanai already up and waiting for her, that same beguiling smile playing in her eyes. ÔWe will find each other again, my Meiran, I can feel it,' she had told her, giving her the ring that had for so long fit her mother's smallest finger. Meiran hadn't known what to do then, and as she gripped the reins of her horse tightly as his hooves thundered against the ground beneath her, she still hadn't a clue. But the ring fit snug on her own finger now, glistening gently in the soft hues of the morning. The last thing her mother had said to her before she kissed her forehead and sent her on her way was even more mind boggling: ÔAnd perhaps next time we meet, you will not be there alone.

"You look a little dazed. Still asleep?" Trowa asked, dropping back next to her, carefully steering his horse.

She blinked and glanced at him, before ruffling her hair a bit with a smile. "Not asleep, but definitely in a dreamy state," she replied, near shouting over the wind so that her voice was heard. He obviously did hear because he just smiled and nodded, before gesturing towards her ring.

"A gift from Cyanai?

"Yes. An heirloom, from the women in her family, as she says. It doesn't really seem like much, though, does it?" Sana smiled. It was quite the opposite, actually Ð the ring meant a great deal to her, and the fact that it was such a simple ring seemed to make it even more special. The band was silver and thin and would have been completely plain if it hadn't of been for the peculiarly way the moon seemed to play off it. It made Meiran feel wonderful, however, and although she wasn't so quick to link it to the ring, a lot of strange things had been happening lately and she wasn't too keen to readily dismiss it either.

He gave another nod of understand before giving her a small salute and pulling forward again to his previous position behind Quatre. Meiran smiled again, suddenly feeling very good. It was going to be a beautiful day, she knew it. Something wonderful was going to happen.

There were a couple others who didn't share Meiran's opinion, however. Duo rode swiftly behind her, his urgent thoughts casting the same shadows over his usually cheerful expressions. It hadn't been a good morning Ð he could barely eat breakfast, even if it was rather meager in itself. He spent the whole time trying to figure out what the horrible feeling in his stomach was, and for a few embarrassing moments he was afraid that someone had found out about what he and Heero had done last night. A few glares from Wufei and smirks from Keru told him that that problem was already solved, but it did nothing to calm him. The black shadow still loomed over him, and he dreaded the day that would soon come. Because if his gut instinct was right Ð and it usually was Ð it was going to be absolutely terrible.

Wufei was having similar thoughts, though his were based more on environment factors, rather than his own emotions. For the most part, the ninja did his best to avoid that part of his mind for the moment. He knew what thoughts and questions were dwelling there and he had no desire to stir them up and set them free. Not now, when his senses were so frazzled and the air around him was static. It took all of his will power to keep focused on the long ride before them; he had no need to worry about anything else right now.

"Noin, stop.

Both Relena and Noin looked back at the regal blonde, before Relena felt her horse slow down and whinny softly, pawing the ground anxiously. It had been acting excited for a few hours now, and though none of the others said anything, Relena was sure that they had noticed it too. She didn't know what to think of it, but something in her heart told her it was a good sign.

"Is something wrong? What is it, Zechs?" Noin asked as she turned her horse side ways to get a better look at the man behind them, her eyebrows raised in concern.

He kept silent for a moment, the mask reflecting all light and making it impossible to get a good glimpse of his eyes through the blue pieces of it, as she had before. His head tilted forward, and then without warning he turned his horse around, a slight curse escaping under his breath. "Noin, you go ahead to Treize. I'll catch up laterÉ it seems as though we've got some company.

Noin nodded, although her eyes were sad. "Of course, Zechs. Be careful.

He gave a slight nod at that, and then turned to look at Relena, or at least she thought he did. But then he addressed her and she was sure of it. "You have been guiding them.

That statement nearly took her off her horse. "ÉGuiding them..? That's impossible," she claimed, almost sounding indignant. "There's no way-

"We'll talk about it later," He interrupted sharply, looking back over his shoulder at her before digging his heels into the stallion's sides and urging him forward. "Go.

Relena didn't know now whether should be happy or afraid. More than anything, now, she was sure that Quatre was coming to rescue her, and was the reason why Zechs was suddenly sending them forward. However the tone of his voice when he accused her of helping themÉ had she really? Could she be leading them to her without knowing it?

Her horse started forward again and Relena clutched at the reins to keep her balance, still looking after Zechs. She wished she knew what was going on.

Something about the air was very thick, Quatre decided. It had a faint, musty quality to it; the smell of something ancient. But that wasn't what was making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end Ð no, there was something else. And from the looks of it, the others felt it, too. They had stopped in this decidedly small clearing so the horses could rest up for a minute or two, and their riders could fetch a quick drink. In all honesty, though, Quatre wasn't concerned about the horses. It was this place... the Lua Stone was reacting to it. Reacting to something, either way, and the blonde had the feeling that something was very off.

"QuatreÉ uh, buddy, you might want to see this

The blonde Prince blinked, raising his head towards Duo and a few of the others. The chestnut haired assassin was examining the little brook they'd stopped by with a rather beguiled expression on his face. Raising his own eyebrows, Quatre stood, uncrossing his arms, and walked over. "What is it?

"The water," Keru began, her tail strangely still, "Éit sparkles.

Quatre blinked at her, before crouching down to get a better look at the little stream. At first, it seemed like nothing Ð just the sunlight on the water, or the reflection of their swords... but a twinge of light from the jewel around his neck told him otherwise. The water _was _unnaturally clear, and as he tasted, he noted it was also surprisingly clean for a forest stream. "Perhaps there's a spring somewhere?" He suggested, but not even he was fooled by the idea.

Wufei appeared from around a rather dense thicket then, his face grim. "Temple ruins. This is holy ground," he told them, gesturing towards the direction he'd just come in. Duo was closest to him and was the first to get a glimpse of what he meant. He let out a low whistle, glancing over his shoulder as the others slowly came into view. "We have a knack for finding this sort of shit, don't we?

Unlike the palace they had stumbled upon last time, these ruins were almost completely destroyed. The foundation of the temple was all that was left, with a few standing columns and plenty of rubble littering the area. The rock was old, and looked as though it'd been eroding for quite some time. There was still some tile in the center of the temple, but much of it was covered by pieces of roof that had fallen onto it. Vines were rampant, running through cracks and covering much of the old stone.

While everyone else stood around the edges of the ruins, hesitant to move in any further, Trowa stepped over a bit of crumbling rock and started forward. Maybe it was holy, maybe it wasn't. But something about the place was very peculiar to him and in his mind he was beginning to think that perhaps their finding the place wasn't coincidence at all. He carefully made his way around the broken fragments of roof that had fallen to the other side, his eyes on a very large tree. From his previous position, most of it was hidden behind the columns. It was fascinating how most of the columns that had managed to survive the years were all situated directly in front of the giant oak. _Another coincidence, no doubt_, he thought to himself in irony.

Upon closer inspection, he was met with another surprise. The sparkling stream curved behind the temple into what appeared to be a small spring. The oak he'd spied from the other side of the columns was somehow growing out of it. How the roots weren't flooded, he'd never know; the thing was quite possibly the healthiest tree he'd ever laid eyes on.

"It _is _a spring," Meiran remarked behind him then. Trowa glanced over his shoulder and saw that slowly everybody had begun to follow him. Heero took care to avoid the ruins all together and instead walked along the edge of them with careful steps. Most gazed at the oak and the spring in wonder and speculation, just as Trowa had been. It was pretty clear to all of them now that something was indeed going on Ð something too big for any of them to comprehend.

It was about then that Heero went into action. His expression had gone from mildly curious to deadly serious and his easy, relaxed manner was replaced with something like that of a coiled snake, ready to strike. "Somebody's here," he muttered then, and they all suddenly became aware of his fangs. Wufei's sword was already out, however, and he was already moving around the tree, towards the edge of the ruins. Keru sniffed the air only once, and then hissed, her tail dropping low.

Her inexplicable catness was enough to get anyone on edge, but what she uttered next stilled them completely. "I smell death.

Heero narrowed his eyes, reaching for his own blade. "I see them. They are the dead, all right, but not of any creature from this land." He glanced at the others, his voice low and dangerous. "There's foul magic at work here.

Quatre's face grew grim. As a prince, he'd been tutored in magic, and he knew a little himself. But he was nothing compared to one who could control spirits and bring them into corporal form. He glanced to Heero then, and spoke firm. "We should bring the horses into the temple grounds. If this place is holy, and the creatures are of death, they will not venture here.

The vampire nodded, needing no explanation. To step beyond the boundry of the temple would spell a fate more permanent than death itself. Heero would be just as vulnerable to the ruins as the creatures would be.

They quickly made their way back to the horses and brought them within the ruins. The animals were anxious, shaking their heads and pawing the earth in a nervous fashion. Once well within the old temple, they relaxed a little more, but not much. Around them was the stench of something dark and intangible, like a nightmare that refused to go away.

Duo drew his own weapon and in a moment of inspiration, dipped the blade into the spring. Grinning at the others, he stated simply, "Holy water." The others quickly followed suit. When Meiran reached for a blade, however, Quatre stared. "No," he said frankly. "Put it down.

"I can't just stand here," she replied sharply, a slight tone of disbelief to her voice.

"Yes, you can." He approached her and took the sword from her hand, his blue eyes almost cold. "You have no experience with a blade, Meiran. Nor do you have the talents of a mage. We need you here, safe and unharmed so that if the time comes, you can heal us.

The others were completely silent. None of them but Duo had ever seen the Prince act in such a manner and it was slightly unnerving, but his point was undeniable, no matter how much they might not want to admit it. Meiran drew herself up, her jaw set, and gave him a sharp nod. He turned away then, and handed the sword to Trowa as he walked by. For a second, no one else moved. But then Heero called sharply from the edge of the ruins and Wufei, Duo, and Quatre went to him immediately. Trowa hesitated, before glancing at the dark-haired woman. "Meiran," he said quietly, "Can you use my bow?

She stared at him for a long moment, and then slowly nodded. "Of course.

He nodded. "Then do it." And then he left.

Keru finished tipping her assortment of throwing knives and other odd weapons with holy water before helping Meiran collect Trowa's bow and arrows. Though she wasn't the most personable person around, the cat-woman knew a thing or two about people and she'd come to know Meiran very well in the short time they'd known each other. She eyed the woman carefully as she spoke quietly. "Tip the arrows, and take out the big ones _before _you cross the border.

Meiran's cool stare softened some and the edge of her mouth quirked upward slightly. "Woman's intuition?

"Maybe," Keru agreed, shrugging. She handed the other woman a small dagger. "Keep that on you. I daresay you'll find a spare sword on one of the horses.

"Thank you," Meiran whispered, smiling slightly.

Keru didn't smile, but after a second of thought she hugged her. "Remember, if all else fails, you are a Cillian. For them, your touch should bring real death.

Meiran nodded, shutting her eyes tightly. "Be careful.

Keru left then, bounding effortlessly over crumbling bits of wall before disappearing beyond the ruins, into the forest. Meiran took a deep breath then before gathering the bundle of arrows and heading for the source of the water Ð the spring. If the center of the source wasn't holy, then she didn't know what was. She worked quickly and efficiently, dipping all of the arrow and most of the shaft into the water, and then bundled them together again and moved to the highest spot she could find. Perched on the end of the weathered wall, partially hidden by a broken column, Meiran stringed her first arrow and waited. Sounds of battle occasionally drifted back to her, but the forest muffled almost everything.

At one point she thought she heard a shout and panic threatened to overwhelm her. She shut her eyes tight and forced herself to take deep, calming breaths. She was of no help to any of them if she let her fears overwhelm her. It would be foolish to deny that she was frightened, but it would be even worse to let it control her.

When she caught site of the first creature, she was ready. It stumbled loudly through the trees, moaning hideously. Even from this distance, she could still smell it. Curling her lip up in disgust, she took aim and then fired. The arrow whistled through the air and struck true. The beast stilled for a second, then desperately tried to dislodge the arrow from its neck, but the water was already taking effect. It dropped to its knees, and in the next moment, fell on its side, completely silent, completely dead. Rolling her shoulders, Meiran lowered her bow some and took a good look at the creature. Heero had been right Ð whatever the things were, they were not of this world.

Heero was next to invincible to these creatures. By no means would he consider himself "one of them", but undoubtedly his immortal blood fueled him in battle, the same way it fueled them. Or rather, the way the mage behind the attack fueled them. That was the one thing that truly bothered him. The mage was a wild card, something he hadn't expected at all. And unlike Landau, they couldn't just walk in and kill him. This mage was much too clever, and much too powerful.

A sudden gush of wind ripped past him and a strange, roaring sound met his ears. He whipped around, teeth bared and sword ready, and looked on the dark mage for the first time. The tall, masked man stepped away from the tree he'd been waiting by and held his glistening blade out gently in an invitation. "Come on. You want a challenge just as much as I do.

Heero narrowed his eyes, raising his sword an inch or two. "Who are you?

"Zechs Marquis." He stepped closer.

The vampire ran his tongue over his fangs, circling the clearing slowly. "Why have you attacked us?

The masked man smiled, chuckling slightly. "Why do you follow us?

_Quatre was right_, Heero realized. _He was right_. Whatever forces were at work were certainly guiding them all to the same end, the same conclusion Ð it was obvious to him now. Everything that had happened so far, all the strange things they'd found, they were all beginning to add up in Heero's mind. Slowly, he extended his sword towards the blonde mage and sunk into a ready stance. This was meant to be his fight.

Quatre was a wholly different person in battle. Later, people would say that with a sword in his hand and an enemy to point it at, the Prince was like a Berserker. Nothing got in his way. But at present, Duo had no explanations. In fact, the assassin might have actually been afraid of the blonde if he hadn't known how gentle he really was. However, the mercy and warmth that Quatre was so known for was now gone and the blonde was fighting with a fury that Duo had never seen before in all his life.

They were in the midst of the battle, he, Quatre, and Trowa, surrounded by the big, stumbling brutes. Keru was sniping from a tree, occasionally swooping down with her cat-like grace to dispatch a less than honorable would-be back-stabber. Where Wufei and Heero had gotten off to, Duo wasn't sure, but he was definitely worried. The creatures were hard enough to deal with together as it was; he didn't even want to imagine taking one on alone.

"Duo, heads up!

The braided assassin whipped around just in time to see one of the undead take a swing at him with his cracked, rusted sword. He ducked the blow, then lurched forward and gutted the creature before it even had time to blink. The holy water he'd dipped the blade in earlier was still taking effect, even after being plunged into the beasts again and again. He couldn't fathom the physics behind that Ð if it was even physics at all Ð but he didn't care. He was just thankful. Duo seized the moment to catch his breath, and turned back to thank Trowa.

The next few seconds happened so fast, but from his position, Duo thought they dragged on forever. One of the creatures was lumbering out of the forest at a surprisingly fast pace towards Trowa, the sword angled in such a way that Duo knew immediately the thing was going to take off his head. He yelled. It was the only thing he could think to do.

It was just in time. Trowa, out of instinct or blind faith, ducked. The creature swung straight over him, and in realizing he missed completely, began howling. One of his flailing arms did connect with the brown-haired man, sending him sprawling to the ground.

At Duo's shout, Quatre had turned and Quatre had seen. And then something happened to him. Something sparked inside him, and suddenly, it was like time completely stopped. Wind swept through the clearing and circled the blonde Prince, who had gone strangely still. The creatures had stopped as well, more out of confusion than anything else. All that changed, however, when the blue light returned. Quatre's skin seemed to glow with it; even his eyes had reverted back to the same state they'd been in at the abandoned palace. His pupils were gone and his eyes were glowing that same, eerie blue. His sword was gone; he'd dropped it at some point, but none of that actually seemed to matter. He began chanting at a rapid rate. Almost at once, the Lua Stone around his neck began to float upwards, leaving his body entirely. The chanting was reaching its peak, and the intensity of his eyes only matched the sudden intensity of the stone itself.

It was happening so fast. Duo cursed loudly, dropping his sword. He didn't even care about that anymore Ð the creatures certainly weren't about to strike. It was almost as if they were paralyzed with fear. Whatever the reason, he took the chance to help Trowa up and get out of harms way. Keru joined them shortly, her eyes never wavering from Quatre's glowing form. "What the hell is going on?" She asked fiercely.

Duo just shrugged, for once not able to say a word. Trowa was still in the process of catching his breath. Frankly, he just didn't know.

Quatre was practically screaming the chants, and now the creatures were screaming with him. A blue column of light had surrounded him completely, shooting upward towards the stars. Trowa thought he saw another column, over the tops of the trees, and suddenly he thought back to that strange room in the palace, when they'd first found the Lua Stone. Meiran had been a part of that. Was she still a part of it?

As he thought, the Lua Stone began to take a different shape. Quatre stopped chanting abruptly, and reached forward to take the stone. As soon as his fingers touched the light, it shaped itself for him. He gripped the handle, and out of the blue mess came a blade unlike any other. Behind him, slowly, something began to materialize. At first, it just looked like a strange, blue mist. But the mist slowly changed and tendrils began to appear, twisting and licking the air around them. They intertwined together randomly at first, before rapidly taking shape. Before any of them realized it, Quatre had wings.

And then it was over. The beasts stopped screaming and dissolved entirely, their ashes swept away in the winds. Even their rusted swords disintegrated completely. There was no proof of them ever existing, and the only thing any of them had to show for it was a few battle scars.

The blue light wavered some before dimming and disappearing. Quatre's blue translucent wings expanded to their full length before fading entirely, and the wind and blue light that had so lovingly encased him also melted away. Another moment seemed to pass before the blonde Prince fell to his knees, groaning slightly. Trowa rushed forward, Duo and Keru right behind him, and put his hands on his shoulders gently. "Quatre," he murmured, somewhat soothingly, "Quatre, are you all right?

The Prince of Traune blinked, his blue eyes slightly unfocused. "Um, I think," he paused, and sat back, rubbing his face, "Yeah. As long as somebody knows what just happened.

Duo coughed slightly, though he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Well...

It was about that time that Wufei appeared, Meiran limp in his arms. Quatre paled and took Trowa's hand quickly, his grip tighter than necessary. "Wufei, what happened? Is she...?

He shook his head, and as he neared them, they noticed how exhausted he looked. There were numerous tears and stains on his usually pristine uniform and it was quite apparent that it would have to be replaced. A nice, fresh looking cut ran along his cheek, but other than that, he didn't seem to be hurt in anyway. Setting Meiran down next to Quatre carefully, he muttered, "No, she's fine. Exhausted, maybe. And probably sore." He paused, glancing at the others. "Was there another light display here?

Keru nodded, checking Meiran's forehead gently. She noticed some bruising around her throat, though even as she looked it was slowly fading. Clearly the girl's Cillian nature was still at work, even when she wasn't. "Yes. I take it you had your own little show?

He nodded, and then paused, as if what he was going to say next was a little hard to digest. "She was floating. By herself.

The other four glanced at each other before Duo just started laughing. "This is so fucking ridiculous.

"Quatre had wings. And a sword, made from the Lua Stone," Trowa explained a little more calmly. None of the others had noticed, but Quatre still hadn't let go of his hand.

Messaging his temples, Wufei closed his eyes with a sigh. "I see.

Silence reigned afterwards for quite some time, and not one of them seemed too keen to break it. After the complete and total chaos that they'd just gone to, it was really quite understandable. Eventually the peace was interrupted, however, as Heero wandered into the clearing, his sword in hand. The blade of it was slightly stained with blood. Considering that the monsters they'd been battling didn't actually bleed, it was something of a startling sight. Duo stood, hands on his hips as the vampire joined the group. "Where'd that blood come from?

Heero eyed him, still panting slightly, but managed a rather cocky smirk. "I found the mage.

Much later, after almost everyone had washed and cleaned themselves back at the ruins (minus Heero, who couldn't actually touch the water or the ruins, and Meiran, who still hadn't woken up), Quatre told them wearily that it was suicide to move anywhere in the condition that they were in. They made a small camp within the ruins where they'd keep safe and have a fairly defensible position, should the need arise. More than anything, though, they were all just looking to get a good meal and plenty of rest before morning. Keru, Duo, and Heero set up a camp just outside of the ruins. Even as the day's shadows grew long, they were easy to find, just a stone toss away.

Quatre spent most of his time sitting next to the fire by a still sleeping Meiran. He didn't know what happened in her part of the woods Ð hell, he hardly knew what happened to him Ð but whatever it was, it must have been absolute hell to keep her out of it for so long. He would have liked to ask Wufei about it, but the ninja had never looked more unapproachable. Trowa joined him and Meiran some time later, glancing briefly to Wufei's form by the spring. "Something happened," he said at length, quietly so that only Quatre could hear.

The blonde nodded, scratching his head lightly. "I know. But we'll get nothing out of him. Anyway, it's best to wait for her to come to." He fell silent and for a long moment he stared into the fire in front of them. Eventually, he asked softly, "Was I too hard on her?

Trowa shook his head at him, smiling in amusement. "None of this is your fault, Quatre. She made the choice to join the fray. The mage made the choice to attack us in the first place.

"I made the choice to fight. To start this whole insane journey," Quatre muttered, closing his eyes.

Trowa frowned, and gently squeezed the other man's shoulder. "Yes, and we made the choice to follow.

The Prince looked up at him then, a small, appreciative smile blooming on his face. "Thank you," he whispered meaningfully. There was an awkward pause then when Trowa didn't remove his hand. He leaned forward slowly, and Quatre blushed, but his fingers brushed against Trowa's as the tall brown-haired man gently pressed his lips to his own. A sudden movement made the both jerk back, however, and the moment was lost.

Meiran had stirred. Slowly, she blinked open her eyes and stared blearily at the crimson sunset above her. "Am I dead?" She asked, only half joking.

Quatre sighed, and took her hand and kissed it. "No.

Trowa rose then, glancing back towards the other fire. "I'll go let them know she's awake," he said. Quatre caught his eyes and smiled, still slightly pink. The brown haired man gave him a small nod and a smile before heading towards the others.

Sitting up stiffly, the Cillian took a glance around, seemed to recognize the ruins, and then looked to Quatre. "Did we win?

He grinned ruefully. "Yes, I'd say so." She smiled, and rubbed her forehead. The blonde scratched her back gently, methodically. "I'm sorry, Meiran. You worried me there.

She turned, blinking once before she realized what he was referring to. "Oh Quatre," she whispered, and then hugged him tightly. "I was the one who left the camp. Don't you dare try to pin this on yourself.

Quatre chuckled, then pulled away enough to look at her. "I promise you this, if nothing else: you'll have those sword lessons soon enough.

Some of the others eventually wandered over to see how she was doing, and also to bring her some food, as all the cooking had been done at the camp that wasn't situated directly on holy ground. (They weren't taking any chances.) They let her eat in peace, for the most part, and Meiran for once was thankful for it. By the time her mind had started to drift back to the battle, most of her dinner was gone and she was feeling a little less groggy than before. She knew that she'd think on what happened sooner or later and frankly, she was tired of playing games. Today had made that clearer than anything else possibly could. Her eyes unfocused as she remembered exactly what happened, back in the forest.

By the time Heero had begun his own fight in the woods with Zechs, Meiran had long finished off the arrows and was carefully slinking through the woods, listening for the thundering, tell-tale footfalls of the creatures. Her sword was ready and still glistening with holy water, and the dagger Keru gave her was safely tucked in her tunic belt. She'd managed to take down one of the beasts already. Obviously, brute strength wasn't her strongest suit, but the fact that the creatures were incredibly stupid helped enormously. She'd managed to evade any and all of its attacks at her and got enough good slices in on it with her sword to slow it down even more before she could gather enough momentum to make the final thrust. When she impaled the thing with her blade, she could hear the crack of bone and the tearing of flesh and the smell made her gag, but there was nothing worse than the screaming. Eventually, however, that stopped, and she wrenched her sword free of the undead horror and went of in search of more prey.

_ When she'd finally found another beast to lure into her trap, she was actually excited. A determination to kill the ugly creature gave her a new energy and she used the sudden increase to her advantage. It helped that she was quite agile; jumping in and out of the way and doing quick handsprings to confuse the beast worked rather well for her, and so she stuck with them._

_ She'd managed to take that second one down and lure a third back to the stream where she then pummeled it with rocks doused in the water before she found herself alone again in a surprisingly quiet little clearing. Part of her was made uneasy because of it. _It shouldn't be this quiet, _she thought, moistening her lips. _

_ As if on cue, a large crack to her right caught her attention and she swiveled around. Lumbering towards her was the largest creature she'd seen that afternoon. The possibility of fear crossed her mind again but she beat it back and stared hard at the undead thing as it roared at her. _

_ "Come on, you disgusting, vile thing. Come to momma._

_ It did. With a sudden surge forward, the beast caught her off guard with a speed she didn't think it was capable of and smacked at her. It's giant hand connected mostly with her shoulder, though her face caught a bit of the sting. She was thrown to the ground hard, head ringing and body in pain. Meiran tasted blood as she wiped her mouth, and then quickly crawled backwards. Perhaps this one was a little smarter than the others. "No matter," she muttered, climbing to her feet as she continued back. Behind her she felt the trunk of a tree and smiled slightly. She could make a stand here, no problem._

_ However, she never got the chance. Just as the beast came in range, none other than Wufei himself jumped from somewhere and beheaded the creature in one fatal swoop. Meiran exhaled slowly, watching the head roll to the ground before looking to the ninja. She had a cutting remark already on her tongue, but when she saw how much blood was on his white jacket, she froze completely. "Wufei, are you..?_

_ He smirked slightly, one eye swollen shut as he looked at her. "No thanks required," he muttered sarcastically. His sword dropped from his hand, however, and clattered noisily to the ground as he leaned against the trunk of a different tree for support. Slowly, he slid down it. His hands pressed against a wound at his hip, but there was no mistaking the blood that still flowed freely from it._

_ Meiran couldn't find her voice, even if she tried. She rushed to him and pushed his hands away. The wound wasn't big, width wise, but it was deep. She couldn't imagine the pain of being caught by one of those horrible, rusted swords. Quickly settling herself at his side, she thought about how to focus and heal him. Taking a deep, calming breath, she closed her eyes and pressed her palms against his side. He almost screamed with pain and shied away from her hands, but she fixed that by straddling his legs so he couldn't move. "Stop it," she whispered, hating how weak her voice sounded. "If I don't do this, you'll Ð" _

_ But she didn't get to finish. He reached for his sword and nodded behind her. She caught on quick enough and unsheathed Keru's dagger before jumping to face the creature that was coming to join them. She hadn't expected it to be so close, though. It knocked the blade from her hand with ease while its other hand went straight for her neck. The creature snarled at her and lifted her clear off the ground. _

_ Meiran tried to scream instinctively, but the creature's chokehold made it hard for her to produce any kind of sound at all. She gripped its wrist, trying to pull herself free, but fear was steadily taking control of her. _No! _She thought desperately, squeezing her eyes shut as they burned with unshed tears. _No, gods, no, I can't die like this. Not here, not now. __

_ That's when she remembered what Keru had said to her about the beasts. About healing them in order to kill them. She focused all her energy on that one goal, her muffled sobs the proof her of effort. She would not go down here. She would not let this filthy thing of death take her. Even as she began to grow lightheaded from the lack of oxygen, she felt the creature's grip loosening. Its growls of triumph were turning into shrieks of pain as her Cillian energy flowed through her hands into it. She brought it down to its knees, and even after the thing let her go, Meiran held onto it for dear life. For her life, and for Wufei's, and Quatre's, and all the others._

_ Eventually, it stopped twitching, and Meiran stumbled away from it as quickly as she could, wiping her tears from her cheeks. Wufei was eyeing her, breathing raspy, his face a look of surprise and respect and ... she didn't know what else. Quickly, she returned to his side and pressed her hands against the wound once again. He moved to stop her, but she swatted his hand away and shifted her weight so that he couldn't move again if he tried. She was shaking so much and she couldn't stop, but healing magic still flowed from her fingertips and at the moment that was all that mattered._

_ She almost fully healed him, minus a few random bruises here and there. Her hands dropped to her sides and her breath was short. She realized then that she'd never been more scared in her entire life. A minute passed, and then another before she finally asked him quietly, "Are you all right?_

_ Wufei hadn't taken his eyes off of her until then. Closing them, he said very calmly, "Get off me._

_ It certainly wasn't what she had wanted to hear, nor what she expected. Before she even realized what she was doing, she'd drawn her hand back and had slapped him across his face. Her mother's ring left a nice, fresh cut on his cheek, and this time, the sight of blood was a welcome one. "Heal that one yourself," she muttered, obviously quite angry and a little more hurt than she'd care to admit. She quickly climbed off of him and gathered her dagger and sword before starting back in the direction she'd first come._

_ His voice stopped her. "Meiran, go back to the ruins._

_ That was too much. She whirled around to face him, flushed with rage. "Why? What help am I there while the rest of you fight out here? While the rest of you _bleed _out here?" She stopped and took a breath before continuing, much calmer, "No, Wufei. I will fight, and you will not stop me._

_ He'd gotten to his feet at some point and was now cleaning his blade on his own ruined pants carefully. "You say that now," he murmured, his voice low and with a certain quality she couldn't quite place, "But will you still feel the same way when a human, a stranger, finds himself on the end of your sword?" He stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "These creatures are one thing, Meiran, but real blood," he touched his cheek as he spoke, wiping his own blood onto his fingers before brushing it across her same cheek gently, "Human blood... it stains._

_ Meiran was breathing quick, and she realized it. The silence between them was only broken by a sudden gust of wind that tore through the clearing. She turned slightly, blinking as she strained her ears. _Music, _she thought. _Chimes? _"Do you hear that?" She asked him, stepping away as she tried in futile to discover the source. And then, she stilled, and her mind went blank._

After that, Meiran didn't remember much. Except power. Energy. And of course, the music. She had the feeling that if she forgot everything else about the entire journey, she'd always remember the chimes, and the sweet, haunting melody that seemed to possess her so completely.

She glanced around then, pushing her dark locks away from her face gently. Most of the others were gathered around the other fire. She could hear their muffled voices, and it was a soothing sound. Trowa sat across from her, however, for company and probably the much preferred silence. She didn't blame him. She stood slowly, stretching her limbs a bit, attracting his attention. He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "Are you going somewhere?

Her first thought was no, but then a different one came to her and she nodded. "Where is Wufei?

Trowa looked entirely impassive as he tried to read her motives. "Probably still by the spring." After a second, he ventured, "Why? What happened?

She smiled slightly, stepped around the fire and kissed him on the forehead. "I need to talk to him. Honestly, I don't remember much... I'm hoping he does." It was really only a partial lie.

The brown-haired man nodded, though his clever eyes still hadn't moved from hers. "You might tell him to eat something while you're there." He told her as she made her way back around the fire, towards the giant oak and the crystal-like springs.

Meiran just smiled a little and waved before she gave her full focus to stepping around the rubble. The last thing she wanted was to slip and break her neck after escaping the battle relatively unscathed. Closer to the springs, she could hear the quiet burble of the water rising and the trickling sound the stream made as it wound its way through and around the ruins. Wufei was sitting against a broken temple wall, his stained uniform quite wet and hung neatly beside him. She guessed that he'd just borrowed somebody else's trousers for the meantime.

He'd heard her approach Ð that much was obvious from his behavior Ð but he didn't directly acknowledge her. His dark gaze was focused on a point quite distant from that setting entirely.

She perched herself on the wall, next to his clothes, and watched the bubbles from the spring for a few minutes before asking quietly, "You didn't hear the music?

"No." His voice was just as void as his face.

Meiran frowned some. Suddenly she didn't even know what to say. She felt like a lot needed to be said, but what it was exactly was lost to her. She knew that she didn't like his silence, however, and that's what ultimately brought her next question. "How's that cut?

He didn't give any indication that he'd even heard the question at first, and Meiran could feel herself getting frustrated. Things were definitely weird when he wouldn't take her bait. But then he stood and looked at her and eventually asked, "Do you believe in fate?

Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. But when was it every really something she'd expected? Meiran sighed softly, and shrugged. "I guess it's possible. But," she hesitated, as if considering how to word the next part. "I believe my choices affect my fate. There is always a choice; nothing is ever predestined. How can it be?

"What if the choices you make are already predestined?" He challenged, crossing his arms over his bare chest loosely.

She studied him before asking gently, "Wufei, what is this about?

He hesitated. She saw it clearly in his eyes, the doubt. And then it was gone, and the mask was back on. "When you killed the undead creature, how did you do it?" He asked, his voice back to that cool, nonchalant tone.

Meiran slid off the wall carefully, sensing that she wasn't going to get much further with him. "I healed him," she answered, and then she stilled when a thought occurred to her. She turned slightly and glanced at him before asking, "How did you find the strength to behead that creature with a wound like the one you had?

His eyes narrowed slightly and she wondered if maybe she'd hit something when he shrugged and calmly replied, "Adrenaline. I'm trained for that, Meiran," he added, after another second.

"Of course," she muttered, so quietly that he probably didn't even hear her. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, Meiran felt hurt and she wasn't quite sure why. Tugging on a strand of her dark hair, she paused before dipping her foot in the springs absently. "Trowa tells me you haven't touched any food." She glanced at him, balancing herself on the edge of the small pool. "You should eat something.

Wufei glanced back towards the fire where the green-eyed man was sitting, his brow arching up, before moving around some rubble. As he passed her, he murmured, "Careful. Wouldn't want to fall in.

"I'm not going to fallÑ" But she didn't get to finish that thought as he nudged her hard enough to throw her off-balance. The shriek and then the splash that followed immediately afterwards was enough to attract the attention of the others. Wufei wandered back to the fire, as aloof as ever. Not a second later, a very wet and irate looking Meiran stalked after him.

Trowa coughed slightly to himself, unable to hide the smirk that was pulling at his lips.


	14. Secrets Revealed, Part One

_Disclaimer Stuff: _Don't own Gundam characters, blah blah blah, no money, yadda yadda, rightful property of Bandai and their brethren, whatever.

_Side Notes:_ This chapter comes to you after almost two years of nothing, so if anybody is still reading this, wow. Still, I can't stop. This baby is close to its end, though are still a few kinks here and there to work out. But about those kinks... any recent readers are well aware, I'm sure, of the numerous plot holes in the story. Don't worry, I know they're there. That's what happens when a story spans five years of writing and growing. Right now my focus is to just finish the story as it is. If I have the time and energy afterwards, I plan to go back and rewrite some of the earlier chapters so that everything fits and I don't lose my mind over it. But that's later. So for now, just enjoy the ride.

New Moon 

**Chapter Fourteen, part one: _secrets revealed_**

When Zechs returned late, covered in sweat and dirt and bleeding from a number of mild cuts, Noin could not even begin to know how she should react. He looked exhausted, more haunted than ever, and she wished that she could get rid of those shadows from his eyes. But he kept his distance. She knew that the relationship she had with the man was a rare one all its own; he hardly ever made friends, rarely took to any of the other lords and generals in Treize's vast empire. He'd never truly been a part of it, but then again, neither had she. Perhaps, in the end, that's what allowed their friendship to develop as it had. Still, wasn't it just human to dream of more? She wanted to know about him, about his past, and all his thoughts and feelings. She wanted to be able to help him, in any way, if only to see him smile once in a while.

She didn't know how he would respond to the night's events, however. While it was clear that a battle had raged somewhere far from the room, just by the looks of the man, Noin didn't need any of this information to know exactly what had happened out there. No, that was where Relena came in.

Tentatively, once he'd settled down and begun checking his various wounds, Noin approached him about the night. "Zechs," she begun, and paused, not quite knowing how to explain. "The battle..."

He eyed her through the mask for a second, cleaning a cut near his wrist. "I don't know," he admitted after a second, shrugging. His voice sounded collected, but she knew him enough to see past the façade. "This is going to be much harder than we all thought," he told her. "I met with some unexpected force."

Noin hesitated, and then touched his hand briefly. "I know."

He stopped moving, and she exhaled slowly, glancing towards the door that kept Relena hidden from view. "While you were gone, she began to react to something.. she began to glow, Zechs. Not just glow. There was wind, in the middle of a windowless room, and she was floating, glowing this beautiful blue light, and her eyes..." Noin stopped, and her eyes were distant as she recalled the vivid scene in her mind's eye. "Her eyes had no pupils, and I swear, there were fluorescent sort of wings coming from her back. She told me the moment the battle began, and continued to report it in such a far off voice. I even asked her questions about it, and she told me everything, up to the smallest details of the weapons used and color of the grass."

Zechs leaned back, rubbing his mouth. He said nothing for the longest time, but then finally, he moved. Standing, he put the cloth he was using to clean his cuts down and slowly reached for his mask. "This is spiraling out of control," he said at last, quietly.

She frowned. "This is the power that Treize is after? Her ability to see?"

"It's part of it," he murmured, setting the silver mask on the table next to the rest of his things. "But it's the different parts together that really matter, that will have the greatest significance to us."

Noin had to remind herself to breathe. She was always struck by how amazingly blue his eyes were. "Relena said that there were two columns of light. That her cousin was the main one, but that the Cillian girl was the other."

Neither could really admit to being surprised to learn of her survival. They'd heard word of Landau's burning estate and with no sights of the man and no definite news from Dorothy regarding that plan, they'd begun to assume the worst for the pretentious lord of Treize. Noin certainly felt no real loss there; she'd never liked the man. But that still meant that the girl was alive, and that she infinitely more a part of events than they had recently thought. The question was, did Treize know that? Or was there really an entire aspect to all of this that was completely beyond even him? It seemed wonderful and terrible all at once.

Zechs ran a hand through his platinum blonde locks and started for Relena's door. He paused just before it and breathed deeply, and Noin thought that no man had ever looked more beautiful. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and said quietly, "This may take a while, but this is a conversation that is long in coming." At her questioning look, he merely replied, "Give me time, Noin. I'll give you what you want."

She watched him disappear through the door, smiling sadly to herself, and wondered if he really had the slightest idea what that was.

At dawn on the sixth day, Quatre and his eclectic party set out on the mage's trail. Between the Prince's own intuition and the scent that Keru followed, it was remarkably easy, in fact, and by the time Keru caught scent of another human city, the group was in high spirits.

Heero had told Quatre all about his encounter with the mage the night before, explaining how he learned that the man named Zechs was responsible in some way for the kidnapping of his cousin and the duel that had ensued before the man fled suddenly. The vampire, having had time to think about it, decided that it must have been about the same time that the mysterious blue power had once again appeared, and might have possibly been _because_ of it. The more Quatre thought about it, the more he realized that if it was indeed the reason the mage fled, then it was because the man knew something about the power that the blonde didn't. For someone as powerful as Zechs to flee in the face of the nameless power was incredibly unsettling to Quatre. And though he didn't share his thoughts with the others, the Prince was pretty sure he didn't need to. They understood the concept well enough on their own.

It was early in the afternoon when the would-be rescue party of the blue-blooded prophet Relena reached the city into which Zechs had fled. Both Quatre and Keru were sure of this last fact, and as the group slowly made their way through the streets, looking for an adequate inn to stop at, Quatre began to feel very strongly that the man was still in the city. He took care to hide his excitement, though, because he was also feeling that this city perhaps wasn't entirely trustworthy. Carefully, he'd tucked the Lua Stone out of sight and then declared to the others that they should find an inn quickly.

As it turned out, the inn that he eventually chose (and that Keru had found) was one of quality. And, being the Crown Prince of Traun, Quatre had no certain qualms in spending a fairly large sum of money on big suites and feather beds. Perhaps Meiran was the only one out of the group who'd known such luxuries, though she didn't care to dwell on such thoughts. Although she'd found her mother safe and more liberated than she'd ever seen her, Meiran still had a few regrets about her home and the life she used to lead before she'd run away. She didn't talk about them, and instead kept them close so that no one could know the dark secrets of her heart. The gods knew they all had a few of them.

The inn, known as The Lady's Kiss, was tucked into a less crowded corner of the city, and had a number of enclosed gardens for it's inhabitants to enjoy in order to get away from the bustling crowds outside. Partially built into a hill, the inn boasted exquisite rooms, excellent service (in every way you could possibly imagine), one of the city's best chefs, and certainly the best tavern in the city.

That's what the doorman had told them. Quatre had only shrugged and glanced to the others. Duo, for one, was not entirely subtle in his request to stay there. Eventually it was agreed on, and the horses were taken to the stables while they were led up to their rooms.

Presently, Quatre was leaning on his balcony, and to any passerby that happened to glance up at him he would look thoughtful, if not a little bored. But inward, the blonde Prince was struggling to scry out the mage Zechs and, though he knew it was unlikely, the whereabouts of his cousin Relena. He thought he was gaining more control over it, more control over the stone, but it was still exhausting work and he stopped soon after, sighing. He began to worry about what might happen next when he noticed Meiran and Keru below him, leaving the inn. Leaning over the balcony slightly, he called down to them, "Hey!"

The two women both stopped and turned, glancing up towards him. Keru's eyebrows were raised as she offered him an amused, "Hello." Meiran just grinned and waved.

"Where are you two off to?" He asked, folding his arms on the balustrade.

This time Meiran answered. "We're going to take a look around. See what's here that could be useful."

Quatre nodded, though his eyes were thoughtful, and slightly worried. The last time he'd let the girl wander out into a city ... well, he preferred not to think about it. He also knew, however, that he couldn't stop her, even if he tried. She had a slight habit of disobeying that kind of thing. The fact that she had a small idea of how to use a weapon and defend herself was a bit of a consolation, and this time Keru would be with her. _It'll be all right, _he told himself, before smiling down at the two women once again. "All right, but be careful."

They both waved at him and continued forward in their plans to explore. He watched them until they disappeared around a corner, and began thinking about the stone again. There was no telling what kind of power the thing was capable of and the idea kind of frightened him. Though at the moment he had some control over it, the past had shown them all that they were dealing with something much greater than all of them. And if events led to another strange experience with the foreign chanting and the soft, glowing light, Quatre wasn't sure if he'd be consciously aware of it. As it stood now, most of what he knew came from what the others had told him. Like Meiran, all he could remember was snatches of some ancient melody and a very strange, lifting feeling in his belly that made him feel anxious and exhilarated all at once. It was like flying without being able to see anything, and that worried Quatre. He didn't want to crash.

The city, as Meiran and Keru had come to learn, was called Pella, and was on the outer skirts of Traun. The market was vast and full of energy and vigor and a darker under current of something else that they couldn't quite put their finger on. But they could both feel it. In fact it would be hard not to, even if you had no magical ability or heightened senses to help. There seemed to be an unnatural pulse in the way the air moved, almost as if there were currents guiding it along. Every now and then Meiran could have sworn she heard chimes, but there was so much going on, it was too hard to pinpoint.

It was certainly full of magic, though. There were shops everywhere, places to buy herbs and potions, places to have your palm read, to have charms and wards of every kind enacted on your behalf, people to perform tricks, to create special weapons, people who's sole job was to protect or to destroy, depending on who paid them more. It was overwhelming, and even with her amateur experience in the magical arena, Meiran felt the city on every part of her. It was unreal.

Though it was still technically under the jurisdiction of the royal family, they learned very quickly that it was money and power that really controlled the city. Bartering for provisions, trying to get a decent deal, was all a lot harder than they'd imagined. Keru was quite a match for some of the more sly dealers and eventually they were able to work out some prices for fresh cloaks and linens that weren't so abhorrent.

It seemed like things were working out in their favor for once. They were doing well, getting what they needed, and making good time. Besides that, there was something invigorating about the city itself. They were both responding to it, and their lifted moods allowed the two women to talk more than they ever had. It was a good feeling, one that Meiran was really starting to appreciate. Beyond her mother, there had never really been another woman in her life that she was friends with. The last few days had proven to her that she'd made the right choice, even if it had been the harder one. She'd never realized before that she was so lonely.

And then, while browsing through some luxurious scarves and glittering jewelry for fun, she heard a name. It was part of another conversation, mentioned in regards to recent unusual activities among the upper class, and wasn't really anything more than just local gossip. But it made Meiran's blood run cold: Treize Kushranada. She stopped dead in her tracks, so suddenly that Keru walked right into her. The cat woman made an annoyed sound and started to berate her but when she caught the mix of fear and anger in the other woman's eyes, she went quiet.

"It's him," Meiran whispered, and her hand tightened around the dagger at her hip. "He's the one who hired.. who had me.." She couldn't even finish, and took the moment to sit down on a conveniently placed bench in the market.

Keru sat next to her and put a gentle hand on the other woman's knee. "Careful," she murmured, her eyes flickering about them. If this was in fact Treize's territory then they were treading very dangerous grounds indeed. But it also meant that they were close, so very, very close, and that at least gave her some hope. "Maybe we should head back and tell the others," the cat woman murmured, her voice exceedingly low. It definitely wouldn't be wise for them to stick around any longer, especially if there were those in the crowd that worked for Treize or Landau.

But all thoughts of being discreet were dashed when a rather loud, hoarse sounding voice called from across the street. "Not very clever girls, are you?"

Meiran knew it instantly and sighed, putting her head in her hands. The old woman's voice had never been far from her mind, after her harsh rebuking in the last town. But here she was again, in the flesh. Meiran didn't know if she could handle another confrontation with her without resorting to violence of some kind.

Keru rose to her feet, bringing the other girl up by the elbow, and crossed over to the old prophet. They certainly didn't need any more attention brought to them, now that half the street was watching in interest. Her tail twitched in annoyance and she muttered under her breath, "Crazy hag."

The old woman smiled toothily as they approached. She sat in the shade, cloaked in an amazingly vibrant cape, in front of some kind of magic shop. There was a booth set up nearby, obviously run by the shop, with a young man working the table. He glanced at the girls, and then the old crone, and the two shared a look for a second before he gave a slight nod and continued his own work. The old woman turned her attention to them and said cheerfully, "Come inside, dears."

Meiran and Keru both glanced at each other. Keru shrugged, and Meiran gave another sigh before muttering, "Let's just get it over with." They followed her in.

The store was of a decent size, but the ancient prophet was moving towards the back, past all of the interesting artifacts and talismans on display. There was a thickness to the air, though, and a curious scent that neither girl could put a finger on. The old woman wasted no time with the insults, though, and immediately got their attention back to her as she said, "Kind of a stupid place to be wandering about. You're lucky I saw you before somebody else did." She moved a curtain aside to reveal a staircase, and gestured for them to go up first.

Keru bristled, and Meiran reluctantly looked up the stairs. "Your concern is staggering," she said quietly, before starting up the old wooden steps. The old woman laughed and followed after Keru. At the top of the steps, Meiran glanced around. There were two doors on either side, and then the little corridor opened up into a room with a kitchen. This was someone's home. She felt very much like an intruder, but then the same hoarse voice said, "The door on the left, girl." Meiran obeyed, and opened it.

The room was simple, with few adornments. It was dim; there were few candles and the one window that lined the wall was heavily draped. There were some picture frames on the walls but they'd been turned around. A small, neatly made bed the corner looked almost unused, but there was a large cushion in the center of the room that clearly was. In front of it was a shallow, round basin made of stone and something else. There were bright, shiny flecks throughout it and Meiran wondered what it was used for when the old woman entered behind her and said, "You are in dire need of a talk, this much is clear. Sit on the floor." She moved around to the cushion and sat, her wrinkly eyes watching them expectantly.

Meiran did not sit. "What are we doing here?"

"What is your name?" The old woman asked, ignoring her previous question.

"Meiran." The Cillian glanced at Keru, annoyed as the ancient one cackled, and Keru took the opportunity to ask the old prophet, "What is _your _name?"

She smiled, slow and sly, her eyes on Keru. A thoughtful noise escaped her throat before she acquiesced and replied, "You may call me Accia. Now sit down, the both of you."

They did. Meiran did her best to appear as calm as possible, knowing with this one it was probably futile. But the effort was more for her own sake and for her sanity than anything else, so it wasn't completely worthless, in that way.

"I must say, despite your brazen foolishness in the market, I am impressed with all of you,. The battle went fairly well, I think," Accia began, pulling a small velvet bag from the folds of her cape. Sand slid through her fingers into the basin before them. "Especially with you, idiot child," she added, referring to Meiran. She thought about it, observing the way some grains still stuck to her palm, and then glanced at Keru. "I suppose that's your influence, hm?"

Keru remained impassive. "How do you know about the battle?"

Accia wiggled her fingers at her, grinning wickedly. "It's my job to know." Her grin faded as she looked to Meiran and once again her voice turned scathing. "Of course, as soon as the power hit you, child, you became worthless, didn't you? You still haven't figured it out."

Meiran refused to take her bait. Last time she stalked off, angry and insulted, she wound up even worse; kidnapped and molested. Besides, the old hag got a kick out of seeing her fluster. The last thing she wanted to do was give her that pleasure. "You said we would talk, Accia. Maybe we could start that, and you could start by explaining how you know everything about us."

Accia threw her head back and laughed, and the noise made Meiran shudder and Keru's tail twitch. "Very good." She raised her arms above her head and stretched before closing her eyes. Her arms lowered, and one hand came to rest above the basin, fingers spread wide. Slowly, she turned her palm up and raised it. As she did, a fire came to life below, burning higher in time with her movements. "I think it's time I gave you kids a history lesson."

Relena stared numbly at the wall as Noin combed out her hair, working in silence. The short-haired woman had come in to prepare the girl for her first meeting with the man behind the kidnapping: Treize. She'd been waiting for this moment for so long, it seemed, but now...

"Miss Relena, are you feeling all right?" Noin's voice made her jump slightly and she looked at the woman with wide eyes.

"Pardon me?" Her voice was soft. It held none of her usual steadiness, belayed no quickness of mind. It sounded foreign even to her.

"Are you feeling all right?" Noin repeated, setting the brush aside. "You look pale."

Relena was tired of this. She was tired of all of this. "I want to go home," she said quietly. "I want you to stop your games and stop stringing me around. You have no right to do any of this."

Noin rose, quick to mask the frown that had begun to creep across her features. "I'm sorry, Miss Relena, but I have no more power in this than you do." She reached for the cloak she'd laid out earlier for the girl and held it up. "It's time for us to leave."

Relena stared at her, and then stood wordlessly and let her fasten it around her. Things had changed so fast. It was all suddenly much more complicated than she had imagined, all thanks to one simple battle. Her vision had grown more frequent as of late, and more vivid and clear than ever before. Every night she dreamt of dancing and music, and of a light so blue and beautiful and so full of love and warmth that it broke her heart every time she woke up.

The pain she felt every morning was nothing to the pain of the night before. That heart break... that was real. It was still in pieces. She felt lifeless. She wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and fade away, fade into the blue, into the music. But last night, instead of the usual warmth and light, she remained cold, restless, and alone.

She barely registered that she was walking. The corridor was a long one, but her mind was anywhere but the present. He'd been gone for so long that every one had eventually agreed that he'd been lost. Killed on the road, maybe, by greedy thieves. It had taken her so long to come to terms with that. It had felt so wrong, and her heart could never settle with it. But time helped to cover the wound and she had stopped seeing his warm smile in her dreams. She could move on, could forget about the love she always saw in his eyes. It got easier.

She'd known it though, hadn't she? A part of her had always known that he wasn't dead, that it wasn't a possibility. The very idea that he could be killed by mere vagabonds was laughable. They would have taken one look at him and turned tail the other way. He'd always been so fierce with a sword, and his blue eyes would turn so cold and hard, sharper than any blade he'd ever wielded. Before she let him rest in her memory, she'd always dreamed that he would return, that she would find him, and that no one would be as happy as she would be when it happened. She and Quatre had talked about it, even, planned their rescue mission, though the two of them could barely hold a sword together, let alone use one effectively.

Quatre.

Relena shut her eyes tightly, forcing the sob back down her throat. He'd been effected by Miliardo's disappearance, just as she had. He would find out, she knew he would, and he'd be devastated. She stopped walking abruptly, and brought her hands to her face, trying to control the tears. Her family was so broken already, but he was just making it worse. Why? It was all she could think. Why would he do this to them? To her? How could such a betrayal ever happen?

"Relena, you're expected. Please keep walking." Noin's voice had taken a cool tone and the princess felt the last vestiges of hope slip away from her. She was truly alone here, more than she'd ever realized.

Something washed over her then, a small vestige from her dreams maybe, and she relaxed. The chimes were far off and very faint, but they were there. She remembered that she was a Peacecraft, the last true one, and that was something to hold onto. She had to keep up the family name somehow, keep reminding people why her family was so formidable, even when backed into a corner. She would be strong, and she would not go down without a fight. With a deep breath, she dropped her arms and raised her face to the ceiling for the moment, remembering what it felt like to be awash in the blue light, before opening her eyes. Noin was waiting patiently, her hands clasped behind her back. "I'm sorry," Relena spoke then, and there was an edge to her voice that hadn't been there before.

Noin raised her eyebrows. "For?"

Relena began forward again, dawning her own mask for the occasion. She would never be broken again by anyone, and she certainly would not remain the peaceful captive any longer. She was going to get some answers out of these people. "For what is going to happen to all of you when Quatre arrives. You don't know the trouble you've already caused."

Noin watched her walk, and chewed on her lip a moment before following. The double doors leading to Treize's sitting room were looming ever nearer, dark and foreboding in their large size and ornate design. The guards on either side didn't help much either. They gave a nod to Noin before pulling the doors open, allowing the two to pass through.

Everyone was waiting for them, situated through out the room in their respective places. It looked comfortable but Relena wasn't fooled. There was a precision here, a pristine discipline that was unmistakable. The room was spotless, and every figure was immaculately dressed. Her eyes met her brother's for a brief but unwavering moment before she turned them to look towards the man who commanded all this splendor.

Treize was at the window, his back turned to the room, but even then he was still an imposing individual to behold. There was power in towering form, and unmistakable beauty. It was in his wide, athletic shoulders, and long, tapering legs. Even the curve of his neck and back was alluring. She wondered if it was natural, or if he used magic to enhance his magnetism. She'd known many to do it before; the court was always full of pretentious fools.

"Welcome, Miss Peacecraft. I trust you've been well looked after and properly treated during your stay with us." His voice was like honey. He was articulate and charming and he hadn't even turned around yet. It was no wonder that he had so much power, so many people under his thumb. The King had always found the man to be a nuisance and she could well imagine why, now that she was in his presence.

Still, it was not like she'd never met with these oily lords and witnessed their grubby, greedy fingers in action. She could not imagine any reason for her kidnapping beyond that; anyone who was anyone knew about her power of vision, and knew what a tool that could be.

Quatre's father had never once asked her for help.

"I suppose it's the best one can do when one is the kind who resorts to kidnapping helpless girls for personal benefit," she answered coolly. She could see a few lower ranking minions expressions change at her words and thus picked out the important players in the room from the unimportant ones. She was not, after all, one of the kingdom's preferred diplomats for nothing. Her powers of sight had nothing to do with that.

He turned then and smiled at her beautifully. "Oh, I wouldn't characterize you as helpless, princess." He moved away from the window and towards her. As he closed in, he held out his hand. "I don't think that we've ever been properly introduced. I am Treize Kushranada." His lips met her knuckles softly, briefly, and then he gestured for her to sit. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

She sat in the chair offered, but she was far from comfortable. He sat opposite her and crossed his legs, looking perfectly at ease. "I believe you have met a couple of my associates already, but let me continue the introductions personally. That lovely girl here is Dorothy Catalonia, a cousin of mine. She's been working very hard for me, figuring out who all of your friends are. She is very good at what she does."

Dorothy's mouth quirked into a wry kind of smile and she curtseyed prettily. "It's a pleasure, princess."

Relena barely smiled before Treize continued, "And of course, you've become well acquainted with Lucrezia Noin." He gestured towards the woman, who merely bowed her head in acknowledgement. She was not a vocal person among them.

"This gentleman is Dekim Barton, an old friend of the family."He stood somewhat off to the side and glanced at her. There was so much arrogance in that one glance alone. Relena remembered his name from court discussions as well and managed a pretty smile for him. He was next to worthless, just a withering old man grasping for his last vestiges of youth.

Treize continued, moving on to another severe looking woman. "This enchantress is Lady Une, my personal assistant." Une bowed her head as well, and a bit of light reflected off of her glasses, causing Relena to blink in response. "I trust that the two of you shall get to know each other better before the day is out," he added, glancing very briefly at Une. There was a silent agreement in the Lady's eyes that Relena did not quite find agreeable.

"And last but certainly not least, my friend Zechs Marquise." Treize paused, watching her for a response. "But I believe you know him well enough."

"On the contrary, Mr. Kushranada, I cannot claim to know anyone present in this room." Her voice was cool and she was perfectly poised, but his betrayal still burned in her gut like a poison. She could only hope she make him feel half of the hurt he had caused her.

Zechs remained motionless; there was no sign of an expression beyond that mask. But there wasn't a soul in the room that didn't know of their relationship and the jab settled with a weight that became almost oppressive. Treize arched an elegant eyebrow ever so slightly before setting his hands in his lap. "Well, that is unfortunate, but I'm sure we can change that," he said, and smiled.

Relena returned the gesture tightly. "Forgive me for my impatience, but I think I deserve to know why I have been brought here against my will."

He regarded her for a moment, his pleasant smile still stuck in place, before opening his hands. "As you wish."

At the slightest gesture Une moved, walking towards a table. There was something fairly large and rectangular sitting on it, cloaked by a velvet shroud. She removed the cloth to reveal a beautifully carved chest, made of both wood and bronze. The designs carved in the wood and engraved into the bronze caught Relena's eyes immediately and she glanced briefly at Treize. He was watching her, his chin in his hand. The designs were moons, with ancient symbols interlaced through the intricate patterning. Une brandished a key, pulled from a pocket somewhere on her form, and unlocked the large chest.

"Please," Treize gestured towards the table, "Take a look for yourself."

Relena hesitated and then stood, walking calmly to stand by Une. What she saw, however, took her breath away. The inside was just as lovingly attended to, but there were other designs. Some of them could have been wards because the chest hummed with life. It was a familiar pulse, one she'd felt dance through her for so many nights now. This chest was filled the magic from her dreams. Some of the designs were also family seals. She recognized the Peacecraft symbol immediately and felt something in her gut twist. But there was something different about it, an added part. A moon. There were stacks of books, as well, bound tightly in leather and though well worn, were still in good condition. There were other smaller boxes, vibrantly colored robes in blues and greens, wrapped in sheer linen with the greatest care. On one of these piles was a silver frame, carved in the same ancient symbols. The picture in it made her heart stop altogether. It was a wedding picture of her parents, though it was one she'd never seen before.

She realized that this chest she was looking at must have belonged to her family. To the _Peacecrafts_. The rage took her by force and she turned on Treize, her anger burning in her eyes. "Obviously taking things that do not belong to you is something of a habit," she snapped.

His smile turned a little darker and she saw the first real glimpse of power in his eyes and felt her anger subside as a very rational fear filled her. "You are right, of course. But these are sins I will atone for later, when I take the very power of the gods. I will have all the time I need to repent."

"Why?" She asked, no longer able to hold it all in. "What right do you have to any of this? What makes you think you'll get away with it?"

He stood, suddenly towering over her. "Oh, I'm sure I will," he murmured quietly, and then put a hand on her shoulder. "And you're going to help me. You and your cousin. You are the two parts to this puzzle, the last pieces that must be moved into place." He paused, glancing at Zechs, who stood as still as ever. "And, if I am to understand, you are delivering him directly to me." He lowered his mouth to her cheek, chuckling softly. "So I guess I owe you thanks, princess. You've been a big help."

She wanted to push him away, wanted to spit on him and tear that lovely, deadly smile off of his face but a heaviness was sinking in and she found that should couldn't move. As the blackness began to settle over her, she heard Treize whisper, "Rest now."

_to be continued..._


End file.
